The Dragon's Breath
by Ladykestrel
Summary: Grissom's plan to take his team for some much needed R&R over the Fourth of July on a four-day holiday retreat proves to be more explosive than the traditional fireworks.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: "CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION" and other related entities are owned, (TM) and (c) by ANTHONY E. ZUIKER, JERRY BRUCKHEIMER Television, CBS Worldwide Inc., Alliance Atlantis Corporation, CSI Productions and CBS Productions, All Rights Reserved. This is a purely an outlet of creative writing inspired by a superb TV series and out of respect for my favorite actor, Paul Guilfoyle. The character of Iris King is my own creation.

Dedication: Humbly to Mr. Guilfoyle and the life he breathes into Jim Brass.

A/N: Grissom's plan to take his team for some much needed R&R over the Fourth of July on a four-day holiday retreat proves to be more explosive than the traditional fireworks.

Acknowledgements: "Magic is the Moonlight", written by Maria Grever and Charles Pasquale. "Moonlight Serenade", written by Mitchell Parish and Glenn Miller. "Man in the Mirror", written by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett. "Single Ladies," written by Thaddis Laphonia Harrell, Beyonce Knowles, Terius Nash and Christopher Stewart. "Fallin' For You," written by Colbie Caillat and Rick Nowels. "Be My Baby", written by Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry and Phil Spector. "You Can't Hurry Love", written by Lamont Dozier, Brian and Eddie Holland. "Take Me Home Tonight", written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Mike Leeson, Phillip Spector and Peter Vale. "History in the Making", written by Clay Bernard Mills, Frank Rogers and Darius Rucker. "I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes", written by Brett Beavers and Dierks Bentley.

Heartfelt Thanks: Onyx, Mel-O, JoanP, BC, KaceeW, AimeeP – all who have supported and encouraged my writing efforts, as well as to the readers who have so kindly embraced the character of Iris King into the CSI family.

"The Dragon's Breath"

Chapter One

Catherine's yawn was wide and she was cat-like while stretching in the chair opposite Grissom's in his office. She gave her head a shake to shift her strawberry blonde hair out of her eyes as well to help her pep back up. It was one of those very rare nights where all assignments could be handled by the other graveyard shift CSI's, leaving Grissom and Catherine able to tidy up several case folders that were solved but now coming up for trial.

"Go home, you've done enough," Grissom ordered.

"Okay, not arguing with you there, Griss, I'm out. See you tonight," Catherine stood up and stretched once more, but lines of fatigue showed around her mouth as she attempted a smile. "That last one's going to keep the DA's office busy."

"It'll keep the news crews busy too," Grissom added wryly.

After Catherine left, Grissom reopened the last folder they'd been working jointly on about the multiple homicides that occurred at the McDonald's on Las Vegas Boulevard at Riviera Boulevard from a botched robbery attempt over a week ago. Twelve people had been killed in the shoot out between the three young gunmen and a citizen carrying a concealed handgun who tried to thwart them. It had been dubbed the "McD's Massacre" by one of the local news anchors. He pushed it far away with a sigh, taking off his reading glasses to rub at protesting eyes that begged to go home.

"Long night?"

Grissom looked up to see his best friend, Jim Brass, in the doorway. He gave him a weary smile with an affirmative nod. "You back from your out call?"

"Yeah and the drunk dumbass already confessed to torching his passed out room mate because of a fight over who won a PS3 video game on the way back to booking here at Metro. Just got done booking him and sending him to the drunk tank to sober up. I think Warrick's gonna have it easy for this one – crispy critter 101. Come on, I know this nice little place…," Brass jerked his thumb in the direction of his office.

As Grissom took a seat across from Jim's desk, Brass reached down to his left lower desk drawer to pull out the familiar bottle with its dark amber liquid and two glasses. He deftly poured a generous amount in each glass and handed one to Grissom.

"Drink is the feast of reason and the flow of soul," Grissom raised his glass as Brass did the same for the toast and they downed their drinks.

"You're never at a loss for words," Jim observed and refilled his glass along with Grissom's.

"Well, the team's been working this McD's case hard along with you. Remember the youngest vic was only seven years old," Grissom said and shook his head sadly.

"Yeah, she reminded me of Ellie when she was sweet…still my girl…," Brass looked over at the picture on his desk of a little pigtailed girl with a big smile while she colored. "Then they grow up and get wise in the ways of the world on their own, don't they?"

"You don't dare blink these days," Grissom said softly as he gazed at the picture.

The matter of Ellie still caused Brass heartache Grissom knew firsthand. Since Brass had been shot nearly two years ago, Ellie had only surfaced then to seek financial benefit while challenging Grissom as Brass' power of attorney. Jim's daughter continued that pattern and only contacted Brass when she wanted money and, finally, he had said no to her last three requests and he hadn't heard from her in months. While Jim worried over how his daughter might be doing, he refused to be suckered yet again by her machinations even if it meant not seeing her for God only knew how long. The brief casual relationships he'd had in the past couldn't begin to fill the void Ellie left in his heart, and made him reluctant to hope he could love someone that much again or dare to try to. Though Ellie seemed to have burned her bridge with him, he would always keep the welcome mat out on his side.

"Helluva way to get McDonald's chicken nuggets and a happy meal," Jim sighed and absently swirled the contents in his drink glass.

"You know my team's overdue for something special," Grissom said with a mysterious glint in his eye.

"Really? Like what?" Brass' curiosity was piqued.

Grissom reached into his pocket and handed Jim a well-worn brochure. Brass took several moments to read it over and glanced at Grissom. "So, it's just the team, right?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Iris had come in early for some quiet time before shift began. Snorting in frustration, she sat at the break room table and scratched through the lines she had just written in her spiral notebook. She grumbled to herself wondering if she should just crumple up the paper and start the whole thing over. Her focus was so intense she didn't notice the shadow fall across the table as she tried to start a train of thought to translate to her pen.

"You're certainly early, being here sooner than your usual hour. Uh, what's this?"

She gave a startled glance up at Grissom and flushed slightly as her boss gazed at her literary effort.

"I just do this as a creative outlet. It's a fan fiction story of the original Star Trek. Just a hobby of mine," Iris answered in a slightly nervous tone.

"Really? Jim and I oversee a little club of Trek-philes here and you'd be surprised at the number of lab workers and police in it. May I?" Grissom pointed at her notebook.

"Uh, sure, I'm just stuck on what to say at this point in my story," Iris said and gave him the notebook. "Look, I've never let someone else read my stuff. I've read what other more accomplished people put on websites like , but I've never felt my stories were worthy."

Grissom sat down beside her and quickly scanned over the pages of her writing. Iris chewed pensively on the end of her ink pen while he got the gist of the story's plot.

"Keep the sentences you just put lines through and modify it to say 'Do you have to be Vulcan to find those ears attractive, Captain?' I think you have a nice story in the works and I'd be glad to help you with it," Grissom recommended with a serene smile.

"Wonderful, now that definitely works better! I'd welcome your input and honored to have you coauthor with me," Iris grinned as she wrote the phrase down.

"All the team will be here tonight for a change and I'll be making an announcement," Grissom told her as he got up.

"Oh, is someone getting a special assignment?" Iris wondered.

"You could say that," he smiled cryptically and walked out.

Iris' chin went twice sideways, similar to the "Bewitched" nose twitch she'd been told, but she did this without thinking, as she considered what Grissom's pending news might be for several moments before she resumed working on her story.

Nick and Warrick were on the elevator with Brass heading into shift. Nick had just shared a very bawdy joke that had Brass in a fit of laughter when the doors opened and they got off. The young men were just ahead of him when Brass swore under his breath as he saw Doc Robbins coming the opposite way down the hall.

"Jim, I'm telling you this for your own good. You could do with losing a few pounds and giving up the Krispy Kremes," Doc Robbins stopped him with the end of his cane poking Jim in the belly. "Yup, you're getting pudgy."

"I will when Lent rolls around," Brass promised but Doc wouldn't let it go as he walked beside him.

"Look, if you want a workout buddy, here I am," Doc offered.

Nick stopped Warrick as they listened to the exchange going on between the homicide detective and pathologist.

"Hey, I get it that I need to do some cardio but don't ask me to part with my Krispy Kremes," Brass griped.

"Okay, it's your coronary and my autopsy," Doc Robbins warned and turned to head to the medical examiner's area of the lab building.

Jim's perturbed look as he came up the hall spurred Nick to casually say, "Brass man, you could come with Warrick and me to work out. We go regular to the gym here a few times a week. We'd have you looking drop dead sexy in no time, right, Warrick?"

Warrick's effort to keep a straight face was supreme as he agreed sincerely, "Yeah, Brass, Nick's down with that. Come on, you game?"

"Boys, let's make it interesting. How many pounds, how soon, and how much is the kitty for the winner?" Jim challenged with a cocked eyebrow.

"Okay, twenty pounds in say eight weeks, working out four days a week as our schedules allow and each man puts in two hundred bucks," Nick ticked off on his fingers.

"You're on. We start tomorrow, okay?" Brass said with a pointed finger at Nick who nodded before he strode away up the hall.

"Who're we making him drop dead sexy for? You got someone in mind?" Warrick asked curiously, a dimpled smile creasing his mouth.

"Maybe," Nick shrugged.

"Okay, I'm in," Warrick said.

Jim entered his office and closed the window blinds for a moment of privacy. A full length mirror was on the inside of the closet and he quickly removed his suit coat and unbuttoned his shirt and took it off. He gazed at his upper torso and, yeah, he had bit of a paunch. What guy his age didn't to some degree, he thought. Brass wasn't a vain man but took care that he dressed to look professional and was fastidious about his appearance. He was all business no one questioned. He sucked his gut in and squared his shoulders as he looked at the mirror's reflection for several moments. He let go a slow exhale with a self-deprecating chuckle. "Jim, what'd you get yourself into? Who do you want to be drop dead sexy for anyhow? Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the biggest stud of all?"

The mirror remained silent.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Jim said and reached for his shirt.

Sara shut her locker door and sat on the bench as Iris came in. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," Iris smiled as she opened her locker. Her gaze went fondly to the pictures of her four-footed family – the bloodhounds, Cyrano and Durante, and her horse, Kyrie.

"I'm glad that McDonald's case is over with," Sara said, pushing her raven-colored hair back with a headband.

"Me too, I hate multiples the most and keep seeing the little girl over and over in my head. It still gets to me," Iris agreed. "I ran into Grissom earlier and he told me he was making an announcement to the team. So, any hints you can drop?"

"He's only said it's important whatever it is. Just because I live with the guy doesn't make me an expert," Sara said and appeared irritated.

Iris looked at her friend for several long moments. "That's the biggest bunch of hooey and we both know it!"

Sara couldn't maintain her façade of annoyance and smiled while Iris shook her head at her.

Greg strolled in followed by Nick and Warrick. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, just girl talk, Greggo," Iris winked at Sara, "on the mysteries of that miraculous bond between a man and a woman."

"Yeah, it's called alimony," Greg said without missing a beat as he glared at his locker door trying to recall the locker combination with a frustrated yank on the lock.

"You're in a funk. What happened?" Nick prodded.

"Weren't you going to ask out the new forensics document tech…um…Brandi, right?" Warrick recalled with a low admiring whistle and eyes looking heavenward.

"No go," was all a tight-lipped Greg responded as he finally got his locker to open.

"Other fish in the sea, dude, it's her loss," Nick consoled him with a punch in the arm.

"Yeah, that's rich coming from a guy who has a girl or at least a phone number for every day of the week," Greg retorted.

"Greg, come one, that's not like you!" Iris scolded gently.

Greg's shoulders slumped as he bit his lip and glanced at Nick. "Sorry, man…it's just I was sure she'd say yes."

"Just because God closes a door means He'll open a window," Iris quoted and Greg knew she believed it.

"No worries, man," Nick reassured him.

"If Iris said it you can take that to the bank," Warrick encouraged him with a bonhomie slap on the back. Greg's countenance seemed brighter at that point.

"Yeah, why not?" he supposed.

"Let's go, Grissom wants us in the conference room tonight," Sara said and got up to leave followed by the others who were exchanging curious looks. Grissom never gave out assignments in the conference room. Something had to be up.

Catherine joined them coming out of her office and she made no mention of anything about Grissom during small talk on the way to the conference room. This only heightened their collective thoughts of what merited the use of the conference room.

Everyone was seated and waiting when Grissom entered the conference room carrying a lap top with him along with a manila folder. This immediately piqued the interest of the team because why would he need a laptop to give out assignments? Grissom felt the air seemed to quiver with the degree of curiosity coming from his team. Though he wasn't a showman at heart he'd try and give it some flair with his presentation.

"Iris is newest to our group so she's unaware of the tradition in place for the CSI teams working here in the crime lab," Grissom began as a look of recognition dawned on the other faces of the team.

"Uh, update please?" Iris asked with a raised hand.

"Ten years ago a CSI here on another shift was up and above the worst workaholic ever. He'd rather be on the job than off, nearly 24/7, wouldn't take vacation time and was always maxed on it. He ate, lived and breathed the case he worked, but he was a loner and not really friends with any of his teammates. He was married but more to the job than to go home to his wife and three kids. It got to the point he had to be threatened with suspension if he didn't take off and spend genuine down time with his family. No one could know just how seriously this affected him. He apparently took this to mean that the quality of his work was in question. The first day he was off the guy gunned down his whole family as the kids got home from school and his wife from work. He then turned the gun on himself," Grissom said soberly.

"Dear Lord," Iris whispered faintly.

"Ever since that incident, the crime lab of the Las Vegas Metro Police Department mandated that the CSI teams would have a team-building event once a year on a rotational basis that the shift members be part of. The team supervisor usually comes up with what the outing will be. The same was also adopted for the police department itself," Catherine added.

"This year is our turn and I've been debating what would be a fun outing for us. The Fourth of July is coming up on Saturday this year and I considered camping but it's hot as hell around here right now," Grissom said. "Greg, could you pull down the projector screen, please?"

Greg complied and then returned to his seat.

After connecting the laptop to the projector, Grissom turned of the lights and said, "Lights, camera, action."

A slide show began of a very large cabin home in a scenic woods setting as Grissom began to describe it: "The Lazy Bear Lodge has 6 bedrooms including one with a loft and its own private deck and 6-1/2 baths. There is also a deck on the master bedroom. It's located at Donner Lake in the Lake Tahoe area. It's a lodge style log home and just completed a couple of years ago. A short walk to the West end beaches of Donner Lake. The large gourmet kitchen has granite counter tops and a Jenn Air stove with griddle and six burners. I know Iris is perking her ears up right now. The kitchen opens onto a covered private deck overlooking forest and mountain peaks. Master suite has dual shower heads, tub and a sitting area. Walk to the West-end beach offering boat launch ramps, swimming, children's play area and picnic area, biking, jet ski, hiking, horseback riding, rock climbing, mountain biking, kayaking, river rafting and numerous other activities are conveniently nearby. The Donner Lake fireworks show can be seen for miles and there are special activities that day including a classic car show with local bands playing and restaurant booths set up."

"When do we go?" Nick asked with an excited grin.

"This is so going to rock," Greg smiled like a little boy.

"Can you imagine the hot bikini babes that are going to be there?" Warrick thought out loud but grimaced when Catherine suddenly poked him in the ribs under the table.

"Sounds romantic," Iris sighed with a dreamy expression thinking of a trail ride or riding on the beach.

"You've outdone yourself," Sara winked at Grissom.

"Okay, everyone, settle down. If this doesn't conflict with anyone's schedules and I know it's a bit of short notice, but I had to move on the chance to reserve the lodge when the owner informed me of a cancellation. This would be our rough itinerary: We'll fly to the Truckee Tahoe Municipal Airport from Las Vegas Municipal Airport and rent cars to drive to the lake lodge on Thursday morning. The Fourth of July is on Friday and we'll fly back home on Sunday morning. Does that sound good to everyone?"

A chorus of excited yes, yeah, sure, and totally came from the team.

"I think we should have a Fourth of July picnic!" Iris proposed.

"I second the motion," Greg smacked his hand on the table.

"Uh, there is one caveat, though," Grissom said with a raised hand.

"Here it comes, someone has to stay behind," Greg muttered to Iris who quietly shushed him.

"I've invited three others along, two of which contribute hugely to our team's operations. Ecklie, Hodges and Brass are joining us," Grissom added.

"Hodges?" Nick asked with a slight grimace. While Hodges had a better overall rapport with the team, he still could display an ingratiating demeanor at times.

"He has done field work with us and I think this qualifies him to go," Grissom responded and Nick silently agreed with an affirmative nod.

"Ecklie," Catherine said only with a roll of her eyes.

"I think Jim could do with a break," Iris remarked. "I'll try to get him to ride a horse if it takes till doomsday!"

This caused an outbreak of laughter from the team. Iris was known for her campaign efforts of extolling the virtues of riding and some of the team had taken her up on it. She always had a ready riding partner in Nick. Brass had declined more than once but Iris' persistence still gave the team a humorous subject they'd privately discussed independent of her ears.

"Well, with the exception of Ecklie joining us, I think we've got a real chance to have a fun long weekend," Catherine insisted and patted Warrick's knee under the table. His resultant wide smile didn't register with the rest of the team except for Iris who'd felt that things were ramping up between their strawberry blonde senior CSI and the café-au-lait level 3.

"Iris, you can go two-stepping with me under the moon and a sky dazzled by fireworks," Nick flirted.

"If I knew you could handle it, I might consider the thought," Iris said saucily while Nick cracked up.

"I'd be a much better date than he could ever hope to be, I'd show you the town in a horse drawn carriage and walk with you by the moonlit lake while the fireworks lit up the sky," Greg interjected.

"Oh me, I've never had two gentlemen vying for my attention before," Iris said in a false southern accent and batted her eyelashes exaggeratedly at them with a hand pressed to her forehead in a fainting gesture.

Sara lost it and her laughter was contagious to the rest of the team and even Grissom couldn't stifle a broad grin at their antics.

"Okay, back to reality. The day and swing teams will cover us so be sure all cases are at the point they be taken on by the other CSI's. Tonight, Iris, you get the first assignment, a 419 located at Tropicana and I-15 from a hit and run under the bridge," Grissom started off and slid the assignment sheet down the table.

"I take it the score was vehicle 1 and pedestrian 0?" Iris quipped as she took the sheet and read it over for details.

"The vehicle was an 18-wheeler that ran a red light and never stopped according to the 911 call received. The victim was actually in a motorized wheelchair and was on the corner," Grissom clarified looking over his reading glasses at her.

"Ouch," Iris winced at the visual she got before she stood to leave. "I'm out."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Brass knelt by the battered body waiting for the covering CSI to get there. He'd already gotten preliminary statements from three witnesses, and he'd called in an APB on the truck description they'd provided. He noted there were traffic cameras at the intersection; another way for Vegas to get money into its municipal coffers he opined for those who felt stopping for a red light didn't apply to their driving rules.

"Damn shame," Jim said aloud to himself.

Brass nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand gripped his shoulder and a voice playfully said in his ear, "Read him his rights?"

He rose to his feet to see Iris standing there with an absolute poker face as he growled, "Iris, you nearly caused me to have a loss of certain bodily functions named number one and number two!!"

"Sorry, Jim, I couldn't resist and you're not the easiest guy to startle," Iris said contritely. "Grissom said this poor guy got creamed by a truck?"

"That ain't the half of it. The victim is Luther Watkins. He's a Vietnam vet left paraplegic from the war who used a motorized scooter wheelchair to get around. The guy panhandled on the corner of the intersection. I've slipped him a few bucks here and there when I was down this way or took him to the nearby Denny's a few times," Jim said as he looked again at the still form.

Iris saw the mangled wheelchair near the body. "He's some distance from the intersection, Jim."

"You're so observant," Brass snapped. Iris said nothing but her face expressed her surprise. He cleared his throat while he pulled out his notepad so he could give her details. "Sorry, I did two tours in 'Nam myself so I get a bit touchy when it's a brother Marine let alone vet. Uh, well, according to the statements from my witnesses, Luther was on his usual corner when the truck came barreling through the intersection after it had turned red making a right hand turn onto Tropicana. The rear tires went up on the curb and hit Luther who was dragged in his wheelchair more than two city blocks. The truck kept right on going. One witness called 911 immediately and they went to help Luther but it was too late."

"I'm sorry too. I remember that you were a Marine back in the day. It's just horribly ironic. A man gives his best serving his country and how does he end up? Panhandling on a street corner to get by," Iris said sadly and shook her head. "Semper fi, by the way."

"Won't argue with you there," Jim agreed.

"Has David released the body or are we waiting?" Iris asked as she bent down to open her investigation kit.

"He's come and gone already. Busy night for the ME's office he said and this was his third out-call already before heading on to a gang-bang convention. I just have to call the ME's van for pick up when you're done," Jim replied.

"Thanks, Jim, I'll get started processing the scene. Did your witnesses get a good look at the truck?" Iris asked as she got her camera ready to take pictures of the scene.

"Get this, it was a Toys R Us truck but at least one of the rear tires was blown after the impact. I called dispatch to send units by the nearest Toys R Us stores and to check local truck stops. I'm laying odds the clown has to call triple-A before he makes it to his delivery site," Jim said. "Plus there are cameras covering the intersection for red light runners, so I'm sure we'll get footage of the accident."

"You rock, sir," Iris smiled slightly and readied her camera. "By the way, you're going with us on our team outing, eh?"

"Grissom offered and I haven't taken a vacation in a while. I hate to travel alone and since I'm between girl friends, I thought why the hell not," Jim told her deadpan. "Are you going looking some male company?"

"Well, I was intrigued by the idea of watching fireworks over a lake as well as maybe taking a trail ride on horseback. But to answer your question, since I'm between men myself right now, I thought this could give me a chance to meet some stimulating male specimen," Iris retorted, feeling a bit stung by Brass' cavalier attitude.

"The fair lady shows her prickly side," Brass said with upraised hands but inside he was wondering at her response. Iris never said she was dating or looking to, but was quick to act like Cupid for others if she thought she saw a possible match. Her efforts had some successes and some not. Everyone else's affairs of the heart she showed serious interest in save her own he thought. He knew her to have been in a bad marriage when it ended with her husband's murder during a botched convenience store robbery several years ago and it being the reason for her to become a CSI. He'd concluded she wasn't looking for anyone seriously because she channeled her energies into other activities he often kidded her about, especially her sword fencing and riding. She was also very involved in church and he knew she was never one to waffle about where her faith was.

Iris stared at Jim over her glasses. "Look, it has to do with reconnecting with fond memories I had as a kid watching the Fourth of July fireworks back in Missouri before my mother moved the tribe to Indy after my parents split up."

Jim was intrigued. "What might those memories be?"

"Some other time, okay," Iris sighed. "I've got work to do and so do you."

Brass looked at the victim's body. "Luther's not going anywhere. Come on, what little story is it that you're not telling?"

"Dance with me beneath the dragon's breath and all will be made known," Iris replied cryptically.

"Hmm, okay, some oddball response, have it your way," Jim shrugged before he walked away.

Iris watched him go before she aimed her camera. "No, my dear Captain, you'll probably never know and more's the pity. Okay, Luther, smile for me."

. . . . .

The next day was the first of Brass' bet with Nick and Warrick. True to his word, he'd met them at the police department's gym and was running on a treadmill beside them on theirs. The younger men look like they'd barely broke a sweat while Jim was mopping his brow frequently with a hand towel. He had to admire their stamina but he was keeping up. His heart was racing so that he feared Doc Robbins' prediction might come to pass if Nick or Warrick didn't call time out.

"I think we can stop now. Brass man, you kept pace pretty well," Nick said gasping slightly before shutting the treadmill off. Brass said a silent "Thank God" to himself.

"Let's hit the showers; you ready soon-to-be-drop-dead sexy Brass?" Warrick urged with a crooked grin and headed that way.

"Go on, Brown, keep it up, I have every intention of winning this bet," Brass fumed at him.

"Hey, it's only day one, don't be so sure," Nick laughed.

The showers were turned up full blast and the air was soon steamy. Jim was grateful for the benefit of the hot water as he lathered up and tried to massage his aching muscles. What he wouldn't give for a female masseuse with well-endowed upper pectoral appendages who was in her own birthday suit to show up right there, and the thought of such an encounter lead to an intense fantasy but he had to keep control as he wasn't alone. On the way back to the locker area, he was suddenly towel-snapped on the butt by Nick who quickly got out of range when Jim surprised him with a coiled spring response with his own towel. Since he couldn't get Nick, his target was a hapless Warrick who yelped at the stinging contact from the merciless towel on his own posterior.

A round of towel snapping ensued between the three men who briefly behaved like kids before Brass lost his footing on the slippery floor and wiped out against a bench making contact of the kind all males fear.

"Enough!" he groaned as he felt his eyes were exploding from their sockets while his hands feebly covered the anatomic region sending nerve messages blazing to his brain of being under a sneak attack.

Nick and Warrick kneeled beside him, both eyeing him with a mutual combination of sympathy and empathy. What guy made it through life without the family jewels taking a hit at least once?

"You okay?" Nick said as a worried expression creased his brow.

"What does it look like to you?" Jim rasped and there was a different pitch to his voice.

"Here, Nick, help me get the Brass man up," Warrick ordered and they helped Jim to sit on the bench that was the author of his pain and indignity.

Later, over lunch that the CSI's insisted on treating him to, Jim was talking to them about the case he was working with Iris.

"So, you got a suspect yet?" Nick asked before taking another bite of his big mouth bubba burger.

"Yeah, I went in earlier this morning to Metro to question a guy who turned himself in who's a truck driver for Toys R Us. He claimed he thought he'd had a blow out after taking the turn onto Tropicana too fast," Jim rumbled before stabbing a fork into his salad angrily.

"Could be if he didn't check his rear view mirrors," Warrick commented.

"Look, a Vietnam vet who couldn't make his bills and had to panhandle loses his life because some schmoe who claims to a born again, God-fearin' man wasn't paying attention and steamrolls him with his truck. The man has no family, no one to mourn him, and'll probably end up buried in a pauper's grave at the county's expense!" Brass snarled, jabbing his fork in Warrick's direction for emphasis.

"Calm down, Jim! I'm really sorry for this guy! Maybe we could make some calls on the guy's behalf, like to the VFW or local VA," Warrick tried to smooth Jim's obviously ruffled feathers.

"Maybe…maybe," Brass allowed slowly.

Warrick's phone began to ring and it was ZZ Topp's "She's Got Legs". Jim gave Warrick a quizzical look as the CSI sheepishly responded, "Its Catherine." He got up and left cash with Nick so he could take his call.

"How long have you guys been here?" Greg called out to him, walking up with Iris.

"We're just getting ready to go. Are you two leaving?" Nick asked as he tossed another twenty to add to Warrick's. Greg shook his head "no".

"I'm headed to the john," Brass said and walked by Iris without a word.

"What'd he have for lunch…sour grapes?" Iris wondered.

"He's just really concerned about the victim of the hit and run case you're both working. They're both Vietnam vets and all. Brass indicated the victim has no family," Nick said, making sure a generous tip had been left for their waitress.

"That explains a lot. There has to be something we can do," Iris considered as Greg took a seat at the table Nick had vacated and she did the same.

"I told Brass we'd help checking with the VA and local VFW or American Legion chapters," Nick said quickly just before Brass joined him while putting on his sunglasses.

"Go get 'em, tiger!" Iris said perkily up at Jim to encourage him.

Brass said nothing for a moment. "Has to be why you're nicknamed 'Velma', huh?"

Iris' lips clamped into a thin line as a hot retort begged release and her cheeks flushed a bright pink. She stared fixedly ahead at Greg instead in an attempt to ignore Brass.

"See you back at the lab, Sanders, and tell Velma here I'm going to question the hit and run suspect again this afternoon. Her presence is required," Jim declared and walked out.

"I'll never forgive Nick for letting my family nickname become common knowledge to the team. Jim always has a field day with it," Iris grumbled several moments after Brass had left.

Her family had christened her with the nickname from when they were kids because Iris bore a striking resemblance to the cartoon character from "Scooby Doo" with her short chestnut hair, freckles, perky upturned nose and glasses. The fact that Velma was her personal favorite in the show didn't help her or that she now investigated mysteries for a living was an ironic footnote in her life. Even when Nick had known her at the Dallas crime lab they'd worked at in different departments before he eventually transferred to Vegas he'd playfully called her Velma when he had to check on an autopsy report when working a case since she oversaw the transcription pool that generated the reports.

"I wouldn't be too hard on the Brass man. He's really taken this to heart about the hit and run victim," Greg said before looking at the menu.

"Crud, I didn't mean to sound hacked but that man always finds a way to be a burr under my saddle," Iris sighed. "I think I'm going to contact the local chapter of the Law Dogs Motorcycle Club I'm a member of. They're combined law enforcement and military riders. I'm sure they might be able to help."

"Sounds like a plan to me. Tell you what…Velma…lunch will be on me so order fearlessly," Gregg waved the dessert placard at her.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Peter MacDougal stirred restlessly in his chair in interrogation room three of the Metro PD, casting a furtive glance at the silent uniformed deputy standing guard nearby. He was not looking forward to another round of questioning with Captain Brass, especially after his request for legal counsel. The detective had been terse with him and pressed hard the idea that he knew he'd hit someone with his truck and deliberately kept going. The court appointed attorney was set to arrive and be present for this questioning session but he found himself taking little solace in that having not met the lawyer beforehand.

The door opened and he looked up expectantly as a blonde-haired young man impeccably groomed, dressed in a sharp dark business suit, and appearing to be in his late twenties at best came inside to crisply introduce himself. "I'm Andrew Winters, your legal counselor."

Fifteen minutes later, Brass waited for Iris to arrive outside the interrogation room and observed the suspect's fidgeting inside while talking to the young pup of a court appointed lawyer who'd syrupily introduced himself to Brass on his way in. Jim took the suspect's restive body language as a good omen that he'd have a confession lawyer or no lawyer. He saw Iris walking briskly up the hall with her case file in one hand and a laptop case in the other.

"You ready to nail this sleaze, Velma?" he asked to needle her.

"Innocent until proven guilty, Scooby, remember?" she replied tartly as he held the door open for her.

"Mr. MacDougal, this is Investigator King from the crime lab who may have some additional questions along with mine," Brass said while he and Iris took their seats across from the attorney and suspect. She removed her laptop from its case and started its boot up process.

"I've reviewed the transcript of your initial questioning of my client, which occurred without counsel being present may I remind you. I request that you conduct yourself more professionally this time around, Detective," Andrew said glibly.

Brass' visage seemed to turn to granite as Iris knew he was grinding his teeth to offset what he really wanted to say. She could see his struggle to remain civil and it was admirable. "I've been questioning suspects since you were in diapers, Junior, so spare me the advice! I know what and how to ask when it comes to questioning, sonny boy."

The attorney's eyebrows rose in surprise before he replied in a frigid tone, "Very well, please begin your questioning, Detective."

Iris took the initiative and opened her laptop. "Mr. MacDougal, we have statements from three eyewitnesses who indicate that at the time you ran the red light exiting the I-15 and turning right to head west on Tropicana the rear wheels of your truck hit Luther Watkins in his wheelchair and you never slowed down. I've examined your truck and its tires and this is corroborated with the other physical evidence from the accident scene. This is a computer-generated recreation of the accident I've prepared."

Peter gazed at the animated sequence and seemed to pale as he looked over the truck striking the victim. He then looked at Andrew who nodded he could respond. "I know I ran the red light and turned the corner too close. I felt my truck's back tires bump up over the curb. But you have to understand I'm a good driver with a clean record. I didn't see that poor man!"

"Admit it; you knew you hit him, didn't you? Come on, a fine Christian man like you must know confession is good for the soul! Bet you didn't know he was a former Marine who was a Vietnam vet," Brass barked at Peter while his index finger drummed against the picture of Luther Watkins' twisted body and the mangled wheelchair for emphasis.

"Captain Brass, if you continue to harass my client this interview is at an end," warned Andrew as Peter's face sank into his hands.

"Okay, sure, what's your, uh, client got to say?" Jim said in milder tone but his gaze at Peter was unwavering.

"You think I meant to hit him, Detective? As God as my witness, I don't remember seeing anything in my rear view mirrors. If I had I would've stopped immediately. I missed the Flamingo Road exit and decided to take the one for Tropicana so I could go west on it to take South Eastern Avenue north back up to Flamingo. It wasn't until I was pulling into the Toys R Us parking lot that I saw I had one flat outer tire. I just thought I'd picked up something like a nail," Peter insisted.

"Yeah, that's right, you sure nailed…," Jim growled before Iris placed her hand on his forearm.

"Mr. MacDougal, what we'd like to know is while you don't deny running the red light and taking the corner to turn too quickly, Mr. Watkins was dragged for nearly two blocks by your truck. You didn't hear anything? No sound of dragging metal? No possible cries from the victim? No smell of shredded rubber from the punctured tire?" Iris carefully pressed in her series of questions.

"Peter, you don't have to answer them," Andrew interjected suddenly.

"Mr. Winters, these are pertinent questions we've asked your client. If he has nothing to conceal…," Brass shrugged.

"No, I have nothing to hide! I'm an honest Christian man, a good husband and father. I don't deny this was a terrible and tragic accident that I'm caught up in," Peter exclaimed.

"Think, Mr. MacDougal, tell us your version of the event," Iris tried to refocus Peter.

"I was coming off the highway exit at a good clip. I wanted to make the light so I wouldn't be late in delivering my load because I was running behind. See, you get a bonus when your delivery is ahead of time and I wanted to get extra fireworks for my kids with the fourth coming up. The light was yellow and I'd just started to turn when it went red. I knew I took the turn too close and tried to compensate so the tires might just jump the curb but not hit the signal pole. I heard the left rear tires squawked as they hopped the curb but I swear I didn't smell any burnt rubber. I had my radio cranked up pretty loud to help me stay focused and sharp. I was kind of tired," Peter recalled.

"Wait a minute! You didn't say anything about your radio!" Andrew interrupted.

"Well, you didn't ask," Peter said simply.

"Pete, can I call you Pete? You look like a Pete to me. That's the darnedest thing you just said. You say you heard the rear tires squawk as they hit and jumped the curb but no smell of burned rubber, right? How could you have heard the tire screeching if your radio's blasting your favorite tunes? You also said you were tired and in a hurry to get through the light," Brass summarized as he ticked off his statements on the fingers of his hand.

Peter hung his head and said nothing.

"Peter, don't say another word! Captain Brass, Investigator King, it's evident I need additional time to talk to my client to better prepare his defense for this case. This interview is concluded and will be reconvened later," Andrew said sharply and dismissed them with a wave of his hand.

"Whatever you say, counselor, don't call us we'll call you. The district attorney's office will be in touch," Jim winked at the attorney as Iris put the case materials back in its folder and shut down her laptop to return to its case. Brass waited patiently until she was ready to go and again held the door for her as they left.

Out in the hallway, Iris whirled on Brass as her hand went palm flat against his chest to stop him. Her usual soft doe eyes were dark as pitch and Jim could've sworn he saw sparks flying from them. "What gives, Iris?" he queried.

"Jim Brass, I had no problem with the questions you were putting to Mr. MacDougal, but what prompts you to mock his faith…his belief in God?" Iris demanded.

Brass frowned at her. Iris rarely called him Jim Brass and it was only if she was truly irked. No matter, her irritation was displaced he felt.

"He's no saint, Iris," Jim retorted. "Hells bells, his ineptitude constitutes manslaughter at the very least. I don't care if he goes to church every hour on Sunday or Wednesday or every freakin' holiday in between or walks little old ladies across the street. No, make that before he plows them with his truck I mean! Don't forget an innocent man lies dead in the morgue downstairs waiting for Doc Robbins to do his dice-n-slice!"

"I haven't forgotten but you're unreal, Jim! I don't minimize what happened but he seems sincere with what he believes. You know you better put me into the same category then," Iris was truly appalled and then strode down the hall.

"Hey, Velma, where're you going?" Brass called out to her.

"For what it's worth to the Memorial Garden because I need to clear my head," Iris snapped over her shoulder without a backward look.

. . . . .

The Memorial Garden Park adjoined the LVPD Metro Police and crime lab buildings. It had been built in memory of those fallen in the line of duty and consisted of nearly five acres of tree-lined walking paths, a duck pond with a fountain, and garden spots of varying plant themes with sitting benches or small gazebos.

Nick had gotten the text from Iris asking him to meet her there, so he'd tapped Warrick on the shoulder to join him. They nearly had their combination arson and burglary case ready for the transition to the other CSI teams within the 48-hour time period before they were all do to go to Donner Lake. Nick's case had a tie-in with Warrick's, so they'd joined forces to expedite their case investigations. He for one couldn't wait and the idea of meeting some lovely young thing for an extended holiday weekend had him in a state of anticipation.

They found Iris tossing bread to the resident ducks but it seemed to them she was doing so in an agitated fashion, literally flinging the pieces into the water one after another. Her face looked like a storm cloud to Nick.

"Hey, Iris," Nick said amiably.

"If Jim Brass knows what's good for him, he won't come anywhere near me for the rest of the year," Iris threatened with a shaking fist back at the LVPD and crime lab buildings.

"Whoa, girl, what's got your dander up?" Warrick asked with upraised hands in a calming gesture.

"I've sat in with Jim time and again to jointly question suspects but this time he crossed a line," Iris fumed as she tossed the last of the bread to the ducks that splashed about with excited quacks.

"Come on, sit down, tell us what happened," Nick coaxed and took her by the arm to go the nearest park bench in a well-shaded area by the pond.

"Yeah, girl, what'd the Brass man do to get on your crap list?" Warrick asked as he sat on the other side of Iris.

She took a deep breath before she responded. "Jim was questioning the truck driver arrested for that hit and run accident involving the poor Vietnam vet. During the questioning, the suspect said he was a good husband, father and a Christian. I discerned nothing that made me think he was giving us a line of bull."

"Sounds routine so far," Warrick remarked.

"It was until Jim openly ridiculed the man for saying he was a God-fearing Christian in so many words and that just went all over me because he has to know where I stand in what I believe. We sort of had words out in the hallway and then I just had to leave because…because…because I just didn't want to acknowledge he might consider anyone who believes in God a loser. It tears me up to think that he might," Iris said and Nick saw the distress in her doe-like eyes.

"Iris, anyone who's known you five minutes would know where you stand so don't fret about it," Nick reassured her and gave her a bear hug. "Jim plays hard ball sometimes when he's questioning a suspect. He has to, you know."

"Nick's right, Brass was just pushing hard to get a confession and what better time than when legal counsel is present," Warrick agreed.

"That's what I hope too," Iris allowed with a shaky laugh.

"Uh oh," Nick said softly because he saw Brass striding up the walking path looking as PO'd as he'd ever seen the homicide detective.

"King! You got balls to walk out on me like that after questioning a suspect! I wasn't through discussing this!" Jim barked angrily.

Iris rose quickly from the park bench, flanked by Nick and Warrick. She'd face Brass on her feet.

"I told you I needed a breath of fresh air. I figured a fine detective like you would've figured that out. You're usually not obtuse!" Iris went on the offense.

"Nick, Warrick, this is between her and me, so clear out," Jim said with a jerk of his thumb back toward the crime lab building.

"No, Jim, I think I'll sit in on this as a spectator," Nick drawled and sat back down on the bench.

"Me too," Warrick echoed and also sat down.

Brass glared at them both.

"So, Jim lets cut to the chase. This isn't about the suspect but you seemed to imply that if you believe in God you're a loser," Iris said with hands on hips to show she was going to ready to debate.

"Just because you go to church don't make you this Teflon-nothing-sticks person who'd never do something awful," Jim growled at her. "Makes me think of the Church Lady on '_Saturday Night Live'_…who do you think it was….SATAN?" Jim finished with a pretty good parody of the Dana Carvey character's voice.

"I don't shy away from what I believe or how I show it," Iris said softly.

"Ah, well, the goody-goody churchgoer CSI who's going to save the world one crime scene at a time," Jim said sarcastically, moving right up to her.

Iris gasped and flinched but said nothing to rebut him. Her silence goaded him further.

"Jim, what gives?" Nick tried to intervene and move between Brass and Iris.

"Siddown, Texas, you're spectatin', remember?" Brass said and pushed Nick back.

"Let him finish, Nick. Go ahead, Jim, I can take both barrels," Iris locked eyes with Brass.

Jim advanced on her into the hot Nevada sun as she walked backwards until nearly to the edge of the bank of the pond. "Come on, Iris, so big deal you go to church but how can you defend someone whose actions resulted in the death of another innocent person? You left me with my Johnson hanging during the questioning which I may add was pretty anemic!"

"Your Johnson looked fine to me at the time I left the room," Iris blurted and then flushed crimson.

Nick and Warrick exchanged a surprised look but remained quiet as the argument escalated between Brass and Iris.

"Well, I always knew you had a thing for me and, yeah, my Johnson has its own hall of fame of conquests!" Jim said in a snarky tone.

"Why you arrogant, bumptious, overconfident toad! The day you grace my bed, that'll never happen!" Iris responded testily.

"You never know,'' Jim said slyly.

"Tell you what, Detective Brass, why not oppose me in a fencing match? If you win, you can name the terms of your victory," Iris challenged and aggressively assumed an en garde position. Brass stepped back in surprise and his position shifted so that Iris now faced him and his back was to the duck pond.

"I'll name 'em now. To start with you quit going to church. It **is** for losers and I'd hate to see you corrupted any more than you are. There're no miracles, no guardian angels, no God looking down on us or devil looking up not now or ever! The Bible's the ultimate fairy tale book," Jim said coldly down at her. He'd not only pushed the envelope with her just then, he'd torn right through it.

Iris saw red at that moment and her anger surged as she charged Brass and pushed him hard. Taken by surprise, Jim's arms flailed like flapping wings and his footing on the slippery bank was for naught as he fell backwards into the duck pond. Here the pond was only a few deep but it was enough for him to go under totally. He broke the water's surface spluttering angrily as he came slowly to his feet. The ducks had scattered in fright with a loud chorus of agitated quacks for nearby calmer waters.

"King! What the hell's gotten into you?" Brass rasped in disbelief at her action. Algae draped his head like Christmas garland and framed his face with slimy green tendrils. His sodden clothing dripped while his nose wrinkled at the smell of the warm pond water.

Iris' chest heaved as she tried to breathe in deeply to calm herself but her face still flushed in anger at Brass' earlier comments. "Consider yourself baptized!"

With that, she stormed past Nick and Warrick who'd jumped to their feet when they saw Brass hit the water. She grabbed her backpack and stalked up the walking path without a backward glance, whipping out her cell phone and punching a speed dial number.

Nick broke out in a guffaw as he high-fived Warrick. "I think Brass man's met his match. He'll think twice before ticking Iris off again!"

"Remind me not to ever get on her bad side," Warrick agreed.

They then went to help Brass out of the water as the bank was now slick and muddy. Brass couldn't even use his pocket handkerchief to wipe off his face while he grimaced at the nearby ducks thinking the water was full of duck poop and pee. Yeah, this was real healthy stuff to get dunked in.

"Stokes, Brown, what happens at the pond stays at the pond, okay?" Brass said as his gaze followed Iris who disappeared around the next bend in the walking path.

"Uh, sure, Jim," Nick promised.

"Like it does in Vegas anyway," Warrick concurred.

"Lord, this water stinks! I wondered how far I had to go to get a rise out of her," Brass laughed grimly trying to wring water from his suit jacket. "I'm glad I always keep a change of clothes in my office. Next stop the showers but I'm steerin' clear of those benches."

The men started up the walking path back to the LVPD Metro buildings, Brass having to stop every few minutes to shake a pants leg.

. . . . .

Grissom heard the metallic slam of the locker door clear up the hall and poked his head out of his office just in time to see Iris striding down the hall in the opposite direction. "Iris!"

She skidded to a halt and hesitated a moment before turning around. Her face was ruddy and he saw her composure was not the norm for her.

"Got a minute?" Grissom beckoned with a crooked index finger.

Iris walked slowly into his office where Grissom was seated. "Yo."

"You seemed in a big hurry. Everything okay?" he asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"Look could someone else take my place on the retreat?" Iris asked suddenly in a rushed voice.

"Why?" Grissom was surprised. "You seemed like you really wanted to go when I announced it to the team."

"I was but right now I don't think I should go…uh, me being the newest person on the team…how about Wendy? She's helped with some field work recently. You know Wendy and Hodges…," Iris suggested nervously.

"I know there's something between them but, really, I want **you** there. You're a member of the team so it's decided and I'm not taking no for an answer. You know all for one and one for all," Grissom interrupted with a slight smile. He was not to be denied and Iris knew it.

"Okay," Iris agreed softly.

"Good. Well, I wanted to get your opinion of how to do meals during the retreat," Grissom said with a neutral change of subject. His impression being whatever had Iris upset she wasn't going to into detail about.

"Sure. I think doing breakfasts at the lodge house but for lunch and dinner to go into town unless we do a picnic or something like that," Iris recommended. "I'll be happy to be the main cook and I'll get to work on a grocery list."

"Now don't go overboard, Iris, I know how you love to cook and the spreads you've done for the team have made us the envy of not only the crime lab but the entire Metro police force," Grissom admonished.

"I'll keep it simple, boss," Iris pledged with a salute before she left his office.

. . . . .

Jim tossed his wet clothes and shoes in his trunk wrapped up in a plastic trash bag. Iris was going to pay for his dry cleaning he'd decided with a smile of satisfaction. It was the least she could do after what she'd pulled in the park and in front of Stokes and Brown, two of the worst pranksters on Grissom's team, who'd be merciless in their ribbing of him for some time to come. Yeah, she was going to pay and handsomely too maybe more than just a dry cleaning fee. He could claim emotional duress just like on _Judge Judy_.

Nick bumped into him in the hall while he was on his way back to his office. Nick couldn't resist as he asked, "So squeaky clean again?"

Brass winced visibly at one word, and the latent memories associated with it. "Lay off, Stokes, and the word "squeaky", okay?"

"Yeah, Jim," Nick replied with a slight frown. Why would the word have that effect on Brass?

Nick wasn't familiar with it being Brass' nickname from his time as a detective back in Newark when he worked to rid the department of corrupt officers. The cost of it still haunted him, mostly for state of his current relationship with Ellie.

What awaited them in front of Jim's office brought them to a halt. Standing at least 6'5 tall was a burly biker dressed in a black leather vest with various patches, black T-shirt and jeans and riding leathers, and wearing a bandana sporting the slogan "Biker – A Way of Life" from which strands of salt-pepper gray hair straggled. Beside him stood an attractive woman with an Amazonian physique dressed in the same garb who flanked his side, wearing her long blonde hair plaited in a single braid down her back.

"You gotta be Detective Brass," the biker said with a pointing finger.

"I am…I don't think we've met…," Jim said slowly.

"We haven't. Name's Halo and this is my lady, Angel," the biker drawled his introduction.

"Uh, right, won't you come into my office," Jim said casually and unlocked his door.

"Brass, I'll catch you later," Nick said and gave him a "call me" sign behind the backs of the biker couple. Jim gave him a curt nod.

After the couple was seated, Brass adjusted his tie slightly and unbuttoned the neck. This should be interesting he thought. "Okay, folks, what brings you here this fair day?"

"Look, Halo's my club name, same for Angel, my wife. Real moniker's Brian Tanner, former marine vet of the Persian Gulf War, president of the Las Vegas Chapter of the Law Dawgs, now a grunt civilian working casino security. My wife, Maureen," the biker clarified with a wide grin and a jerk of his thumb toward his female companion.

"Nice to meet you but what are you here about?" Brass was mystified.

"Someone you know asked us to come by," Brian replied and slouched back in his chair.

"Who?" Jim asked, casually folding his hands on his desk.

"You're familiar with CSI King?" asked Maureen with a dazzling smile at Brass that caused her husband to glance at her quizzically.

"Yeah, familiar's a good way to phrase it but we do work cases together," Brass replied carefully.

"She's a member of the LV Law Dawgs. Wish she'd get a better bike than that 'ol Kawasaki she rides but hey I digress. She told about us about Luther Watkins and we want to help. I've contacted the other chapter presidents nationwide. Money's being pledged right and left. He'll be buried with full military honors at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City. Here's the card for the funeral home that'll handle the arrangements if you can call them when it's time," Brian handed it to Brass.

"Iris…did this…," Jim said a bit incredulous as he took the card.

"She said it was a criminal case and she couldn't go into details other than tell us about Luther's situation. Iris also mentioned you're a fellow marine. Do you ride?" Brian inquired.

"Uh, yeah, a long time ago as a rookie patrolman," Brass answered.

"You know we can always use someone else in the ranks. You're welcome to join us anytime. Maybe you could ride double with Iris. We go on weekend rides and you'd more than meet the membership requirements," Brian suggested.

"I'll take it into consideration. Thanks for stopping by and updating me. I'll be in touch," Jim replied and stood to shake Brian's hand.

"Naw, semper fi, bro…semper fi," Brian instead offered a fist bump which Brass did a bit awkwardly.

"A lady can't resist a man in uniform…even when it has to be a suit and tie," Maureen said slyly with a wink for emphasis while she also fist-bumped Brass. "Iris thinks a lot of you."

"I'll remember that," Jim said neutrally.

The moment the biker couple left his office, Jim was on his cell phone.

. . . . .

Nick had caught Iris on her way out of the parking lot and had just told her about the couple waiting for Jim. Her cell phone suddenly rang and it was Brass' ring tone. The song was "_Suspicious Minds_" by Dwight Yoakam.

"Who's calling?" Nick was curious.

"Who else…Brass…the man's got timing down to a science," Iris groaned. "I'm just letting it go to voicemail for now."

"But 'Suspicious Minds' as a ringtone for Brass?" Nick's curiosity was pegging now.

"It seems perfect given the title and he's a detective. Never mind that it's a love song, Nickers, so don't go overboard in trying to interpret something that's not there!" Iris insisted but leaned her back against the Ford Bronco and covered her eyes. "Oh, crap."

"What's wrong? You should've seen the look on Brass' face. He had to wonder what he was going to be dealing with," Nick laughed.

"They were from the Law Dawgs and came to discuss what they might be able to do with helping with the funeral arrangements for Luther Watkins. I hope it went well because I wanted to be present when they went to Jim. Oh, well," Iris sighed.

"Jim'll appreciate your help. You still sore at him?" Nick asked.

"Not to the point of wrath anymore, I still can't believe I lost control like that. It's not like me and especially so where my personal beliefs are in question. I believe sometimes a silent witness is the most powerful one," Iris said glumly.

"I really think Brass said that just to tick you off and that was his best shot at the moment. Don't carry a grudge over it," Nick asserted with an encouraging pat on her shoulder.

"Nickers, that man vexes me nine ways to Sunday sometimes but I never dreamed he'd get me so hacked that I'd do what I did," Iris said as the mental image of Brass going into the duck pond replayed in her mind.

"Maybe you two just need to kiss and make up," Nick suggested slyly.

"Oh, right, just walk up to Jim Brass and say here baby before planting one on him. He'll really receive that," Iris laughed weakly.

"He's not seeing anyone Iris and neither are you. You guys generally get along well together," Nick reminded her.

"Let me be in charge of my own matchmaking and you keep your day job, Cupid! I'm not going on this trip looking to be matched or attached or any such plan to be hatched. Me and Jim Brass…that'll be the day," Iris griped, realizing her silly rhyme, but she couldn't offset a chuckle at the same time.

"Well, I'm hoping this retreat will have a lot of surprises in store for all concerned," Nick said as he closed the Bronco's driver door. At least he had her laughing as she climbed into the Bronco to restart and Nick was glad for that as he waved at her while she drove off.

. . . . .

Brass glared at his cell phone. Iris hadn't picked up and he'd had to leave a voicemail. That could only mean she was still PO'd about the incident at the pond and wouldn't take his call. Fine, he could play that game. He snapped the phone shut and pocketed it, swearing under his breath.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

It was Wednesday, 24 hours before the team would be leaving for the retreat, and Hodges was doing some impromptu research on what he wanted to do during the retreat and how to implement it. Greg had given him some details about what may be happening during the retreat. He was still somewhat in a state of surprise he'd been invited, but now finding he partially regretted accepting after hearing Wendy wasn't invited. He knew Grissom's reason for including him and was grateful but the thought of being able to spend some time away from the lab in a way that Wendy couldn't construe as a date had been appealing to him. Waiting for a chemical analysis result to print, he continued his data query and made additional notes to continue at home.

"So you excited about going?"

Hodges turned at the familiar voice and into those luminous dark eyes. "I wish you could go, more of the lab rats would make it fun."

"My turn's coming to do field work. I'll get out of the cage once in a while," Wendy said and looked over his shoulder. "Research notes?"

"An experiment I'm working on at home in my spare time," Hodges replied and turned toward Wendy, casually blocking her view of his notes.

"Well, bring me back some off the wall souvenir," Wendy said and went so far as to squeeze his arm.

"Like what?" Hodges asked.

"Oh, surprise me," she replied in flawless Velikon and turned to go.

Hodges stood with a gaping mouth like the hooked fish he was. She'd never let him know she'd taken it upon herself to learn the language used on the classic sci-fi TV show "Astro Quest" at the sci-fi convention where they'd run into each other while costumed as their favorite character. At that time, he'd been the one to know Velikon and not her. Hodges sighed. Oh how he wished right then to have his own personal transporter to whisk them away to the coordinates he had in mind.

. . . . .

Iris was going over the Luther Watkins case with the day shift CSI, Tyler Martin, who was assuming the case from her. She'd taken great pains to make sure she'd seen as little of Brass as possible. He'd chewed her out but good when she'd finally returned his call. He went so far as to threaten going to her house if she ever did that again. After finishing up the last of the details, she and the other CSI were headed out of the break room into the hall.

"Thanks again, Tyler, any questions you got my cell number," Iris said as they walked past Brass' office.

"King!" she heard just past the doorway.

"Blast, no clean getaway," she groaned.

Tyler smiled sympathetically and mouthed, "Better you than me."

Iris turned and went back to his office door and merely poked her head in. "You bellowed."

"Come on in, it's about our case," Jim said and pointed to the chair across from his desk.

Iris sat down but said in a toneless voice. "Let's keep it short and sweet, please."

"Look, I'm sorry for being so edgy with this case. I just wanted to say thanks for what the Law Dogs are pledging to do. It looks like Luther's going to get the military funeral he's due for and it's later next week. I wanted to know if you'd go to it," Brass said, pausing to clear his throat, before adding, "…with me."

Iris said nothing for several moments. "Okay, I'd be honored to attend it with you. Is there anything else?"

"Uh, no, that's it. I guess I'll see you tomorrow at the airport," Jim said in a neutral tone. Iris nodded, got up and walked out briskly. Brass shook his head. He knew he had his work cut out for him to get Iris on friendly terms with him again.

. . . . .

"Girl, you have totally out packed yourself to be gone only four days," Iris huffed at herself as she lugged her last suitcase to the Bronco.

She returned to her townhome to walk Durante and Cyrano next door. Her teenaged neighbor, Bryan, answered the door.

"Thanks for watching my boys here," Iris smiled as she handed the leashes over. The dogs' tails wagged furiously as the teenager petted them.

"Bryan's doggie bed-n-breakfast at your service," he grinned. "Have a good time on your getaway."

"I'm ready to get out of Vegas for a while," Iris admitted with a wave before heading to the Bronco.

As she left the driveway to head for the airport, she wondered what the next four days was going to hold for her. She knew pairings known or waiting to happen could be in the offing for the rest of her team. Iris was just going along to be part of the team outing experience, something they'd never done back in Dallas, and have some fun with whatever activities were to happen. Grissom was in charge of planning all that out and had merely told his team to be Boy Scout prepared. She'd debated packing a swimming suit but decided why not and tossed it in last.

. . . . .

Grissom glanced at his watch worriedly. The flight was in less than hour and not everyone had arrived. He'd booked everyone to go on a Beechcraft King Air 200GT a pilot friend of Brass' owned and flew private charters with. Jim had also made arrangements for everyone to park in a private lot adjoining the hangar where the plane was housed.

"Griss, Hodges'll be here. He hasn't called you or anyone else," Sara nudged him. "Get rid of that mother hen look will you?"

"The plane's nearly ready to board, Sara, that's all," Grissom replied with a pained look.

"Helluva nice plane, Eric, thanks again for flying us," Brass said as he exited the plane with his pilot friend behind him.

"It's cost me a bit of change but I'm recouping it flying corporate execs in and out of Vegas, but I'm glad to be of help," Eric said proudly, patting the wing of his plane.

Ecklie gave an approving nod at the plane as he stood by Brass. "Well done, Jim. I have to admit you're one of the most connected people I know. Glad you could join Grissom's team for their outing. I think it's the first time someone from Metro was invited to tag along."

"Yeah, it's not what you know but who you know. I need to check another thing out with Eric," Brass replied and left Ecklie who in turn went on over to Grissom to initiate small talk. Grissom gave Brass a "thanks a lot" look that Jim acknowledged with a slight nod.

The rest of the team were also waiting but giving admiring looks at the plane.

"Sweet, we're going in style," Warrick commented.

"If only we had a couple of Swedish stewardesses," Nick lamented.

"Uh, that would be Inga and Britta, like in certain movies I've heard of?" Iris interjected with raised eyebrows.

"Yah, both blonde and extra bosomy, please," Greg joked with a heavy Scandinavian accent.

"Boys, tone down the testosterone, huh, at least until we get there," Catherine scolded good-naturedly.

"They're all going to be on the prowl," laughed Sara.

"Well, that may be but I have taken great pains to prepare a fun list of activities for all of us to do," Grissom insisted.

Grissom's cell phone rang and the ring tone caused him to grimace as he recognized the ring tone – "Do the Brown Nose" (by the Dead Milkmen). It'd taken him a while to find a ring tone song that was appropriate for Hodges when he was in A+ brown-nose mode.

Only Sara knew who the ring tone was meant to indicate and she saw Grissom's expression, causing her to cover her mouth as she silently chuckled.

"Grissom," he said crisply as he accepted the call.

"I'm sorry, Griss, just about five minutes away from the airport. I ran into traffic on the I-15," Hodges said apologetically.

"Hodges, you're the last one we're waiting on before we board, so get here," Grissom said curtly and hung up. He wanted to impress on Hodges the need to get his butt there on time.

"So el nariz marron is bringing up the rear, no pun intended," Brass chortled, overhearing Grissom's brief exchange with Hodges.

"Your Spanish is improving," Grissom allowed with a smile.

"Jim, we can go ahead and put everyone's luggage on," Eric requested.

"Sure, Eric, we've got one straggler in route but he should be in the next few minutes," Jim said before he turned to the team. "Time to load up!"

As the CSI's were handing off their luggage to a baggage handler, Eric motioned to Brass who'd already had his bags put on first. Rank had its privileges and he'd coordinated the pilot and plane, so he felt fine with Eric telling him to give his bags over.

When they were out of earshot of the CSI's, Eric said in a low voice, "So, what's the lowdown on the women?"

"Come again," Brass said, somewhat mystified.

"I mean are they available? The redhead's a knockout, the brunette's smokin' hot, and the auburn one's got dangerous curves and bodacious ta-tas to boot. Think any of them would be interested in joining the mile-high club?" Eric observed with a slight leer.

Brass' face didn't register the internal surprise he had at his friend's casual remark about Catherine, Sara, and in particular of Iris – dangerous curves and bodacious ta-tas? He cocked his head slightly as he gave the shortest of the female CSI's an appraising stare done in a surreptitious way in a flash.

Jim turned to face Eric so that his friend would understand this man-to-man. "Look it, I work closely with these ladies and I can tell you unequivocally none of 'em would be interested."

"You speaking from experience or one of them's your girl and you can't say which you slick son of a gun?" Eric grinned lasciviously and slapped Jim on the back.

"Fine, I'll break it down for you. Catherine, the redhead bombshell, is seeing somebody and it's the same for Sara, the smokin' brunette, and the curvy buxom, Iris, for sure isn't your type," Jim said, trying not to bristle. 

"Okay, okay, down boy," Eric laughed. "You can't blame me for asking."

"Naw, I can't and I agree with your take but I'm like a protective bull dog where they're concerned," Jim clarified.

"I'll show my best manners," Eric promised.

The sound of screeching rubber made everyone glance toward the parking lot to watch a bronze-colored Honda CRV rush pell mell to the first open parking space and skid to a halt. Hodges jumped out of the vehicle with bags in hand as if pursued by the devil himself and ran up to Grissom.

"Let's see a master of brown nosing at work," Nick murmured to Iris who covered her mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

"I'm terribly sorry, Griss…I didn't mean to delay our trip…if I need to help pay for anything to cover the pilot waiting…I'll be happy to defray the expenses in any way," Hodges rambled as Grissom put up a hand to stop him.

"Just get your bags, Hodges, no worries," Grissom instructed and the lab tech scrambled to comply. "You better make sure your Honda's locked too."

Hodges nodded like and went to give his bags to the baggage attendant before turning to aim his remote at the Honda CRV to lock it and initiate its alarm.

"I think Hodges came this close to crying," Warrick remarked with a narrow space between his thumb and index finger.

"Oh, he's not so bad when he's not in butt-kiss mode. You know if Wendy could've come he'd of been here an hour early," Iris said and there were concurring nods from her teammates. All were aware of the change in how the two were around each other.

Hodges kept one pouch to himself and it piqued Iris' curiosity and she decided to make small talk.

"Hey, David," she greeted him.

"Hi, Iris, beautiful day to fly on," Hodges replied amiably.

"What's in the pouch?" Iris went on without preamble and pointed at what Hodges held.

"This is a special brownie recipe that I've been working on that has a particular blend of herbal ingredients to enhance the taste," Hodges said. "I was hoping to get your input on how to prepare foolproof brownies. I want to make a batch for the whole team."

"David, you never struck me as someone who liked to cook," Iris noted with raised eyebrows.

"Well, I've had some recent developments that are making me learn new things. You know you're our own chef de cuisine!" Hodges exclaimed.

"Aw, I don't know about that but sure I'll help you make flawless brownies," Iris smiled slightly.

Grissom was having a conversation with Brass when Eric approached them. "It's time for you passengers to board."

Grissom nodded and turned to the team with a smile. "Let's fly the friendly skies!"

As they lined up in no particular order, Eric was quick to remedy that. "On my plane, the ladies always board first."

Brass stifled a groan that wasn't lost on Grissom.

Catherine shot a look at Iris who shrugged as the strawberry redhead went first followed by Sara and lastly Iris.

"I'm Catherine," she said as Eric caught her hand in his.

"I've just been bewitched," he said and kissed her hand before guiding her up the steps into the plane. Warrick shook his head but said nothing while Nick looked on.

"Hi, I'm Sara, who's with Grissom," the raven-haired CSI said firmly as Eric again kissed her hand.

"The pleasure is all mine," Eric smiled as he helped her up the steps.

"I'm just plain Iris," Iris said simply as Eric caught her hand in his.

"Enchante," Eric murmured and kissed her hand lingeringly that made Brass glower at the pair.

"Merci," Iris said demurely as Eric followed her into the plane.

"Is he hitting on them?" Greg asked Jim.

"Oh, the light just went on, huh?" Jim replied tartly.

"He seems harmless," Hodges interjected.

"Who asked you?" Brass was still testy.

The male members of the team entered next and the last person on was Eric's copilot.

Eric was still chatting amiably with Iris. "Well, anytime you'd like to take a night fly around of Vegas I've also got a helicopter I use for couple flights. It's spectacular and very, very romantic."

"That does sound nice," Iris considered.

"Well, here's my business card so we can keep in touch, but I must see to the rest of the passengers so do give it thought, my dear," Eric smiled.

The comfortable leather seats behind the cockpit consisted of one aisle seat across a bench seat. Eric had told them prior to boarding that these had to remain vacant. The rest of the seats were all window seats in two groups of four so that the occupants were seated facing one another followed by two last seats.

Iris took the first available one the right. Hodges was coming down the aisle just ahead of Brass. Jim and Iris stared at each other for a moment, his blue eyes boring relentlessly into hers. Her lips clamped in determination as she glanced up at Hodges and she seized his arm. "David, please sit with me so we can talk about those brownies!"

"Oh, this'll be a treat," Hodges said with a crooked smile and plopped down in the aisle seat across from her.

Brass moved past them and took the seat directly across from her and saw her fleeting look of annoyance. Two could play this game his expression plainly told her as he stretched a moment and got comfortable. Nick saw the silent exchange for what it was and made a point to "innocently" sit by Brass as the tall Texan took the remaining vacant window seat. The first group was arranged as Iris across from Brass and Hodges across from Nick.

As the rest of the team boarded the seating arrangement for the next four were Catherine, Warrick, Grissom and Sara. Greg found he had to sit with Ecklie in the last two seats and wondered what he was going to have to endure as far as conversation with the laboratory director on the flight. He was thankful though that the flight was only about ninety minutes in length.

Eric and his copilot went through their routine checklist. He then radioed the tower they were ready to approach the runway and were cleared to do so. He pressed the ignition and the engines roared to life. The plane began to taxi toward the runway and rapidly accelerated before lifting off the ground effortlessly.

"Everyone please remain seated with your seat belts on," Eric instructed.

Iris felt the butterflies in her stomach like she always did during takeoff and shut her eyes to rest a few moments. It wasn't out of fear but she always felt a little flapjack prayer like her grandmother called them wasn't out of order either.

"Yeah, where else is there to go," Brass muttered. He glanced at Iris whose eyes were closed but her lips seem to be moving soundlessly. Was she praying?

He nudged her with his foot and her eyes flew open and met his.

"You know if we crash, Iris, we'll never feel a thing," he commented casually with his chin resting in his hand.

"Whoa, Jim, that's dark!" Nick exclaimed.

"I disagree. Brass is correct and flying's still the safest mode of transportation," Hodges interjected.

"My guardian angel's on duty. Is yours?" she shot back and closed her eyes again.

Jim nudged her foot again but she ignored him other than giving him a momentary irritated look. His crooked smile told her he'd won this round and she shifted gears by engaging Hodges in an extended conversation about the making of brownies.

A few minutes into the flight, Brass leaned over to Nick. "So, are you going to be scoping out the area for a particular type of feminine scenery?"

"Oh, I have every intention of sampling the local flavor," Nick drawled with a sly wink at Brass. Women found the combination of his Texas accent, dark good looks and irrepressible dimpled grin a fatally alluring combination. He'd even worn a black cowboy hat that Iris thought was rakishly slouched before he removed it prior to boarding the plane. She was sure Nick would not be alone long.

The rest of the flight was uneventful with the banter of conversation amongst the passengers for the most part being cheerful, but Jim had no further exchange with Iris who kept her verbiage directed to either Nick or Hodges or down the aisle to other team members. However, Jim continued to stew in his own juices as he reflected on Eric's predatory assessment of Iris, someone he was sure would never give Eric and his playboy reputation the opportunity of pursuit. Still, Iris was going along with the rest of the team with the hope for an adventuresome weekend to unfurl and he found it didn't sit well with him for reasons he couldn't explain.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"Thank you, tower," Eric said into his headset and then turned his head slightly to address his passengers. "If you'll all look outside your window seats we're beginning our approach to the Truckee Tahoe Airport that's surrounded by the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The airport's located near Truckee which is a quaint, historical town. Thank you for flying the friendly skies with Eric March."

"Oh, brother," Brass mumbled.

"My word but the view is something else," Iris commented half to herself as she took it in.

"You don't travel much do you, Velma?" Brass observed drily, breaking the 90-minute silence between them at last.

Her eyes dropped a moment before they met his. "No, you're right, I don't very often. I've never even been out of the country before."

Jim's eyes widened slightly but he showed no surprise. "No passport?"

"There was a never need for one. It's because I don't like to go alone since there'd be no one to share the adventure with. I've gone everywhere on the travel channel though and in my dreams," she said candidly before looking out the window again.

"Well, Iris, buck up because we're going to have a fine time these next few days," Nick predicted and leaned over to pat her knee.

"I believe you, Nickers," she smiled.

. . . . .

Grissom had tagged Warrick to go with him to get the two rental vehicles that would transport them to the lodge and be kept until the end of the retreat to go to and from Truckee. The rest of the team waited with their luggage in the airport lounge of the main building.

"Man, I'm so hungry I could eat a…a…what's native around here?" Greg faltered in what to name as his object of consumption.

"I'm sure it's meat whatever it is," Sara grimaced.

"Hey, I'm sure vegan's allowed but I'm an unabashed carnivore," Greg returned with a grin.

"You kids play nice," Iris admonished with a wagging finger.

"I'm anxious to see if this lodge is half as spacious as Grissom presented it to be," Catherine said.

"Are you all fine with the assignment of the sleeping quarters," Ecklie said to join in the general flow of conversation.

"All I'll say is Greg better not snore," Hodges insisted.

"Okay, at the moment the king suite goes to Grissom, Sara and I share a room, Nick and Warrick share a room, Jim and Conrad share a room, Hodges just let it be known what he expects with having Greg as his sleeping partner…," Catherine was laying out the arrangement.

"Please rephrase that, Catherine!" Hodges protested.

"Fine, Hodges, make that second occupant of the same sleeping area.

Satisfied?" Catherine asked with an arched eyebrow.

"It's better," Hodges conceded.

"Lastly, Iris accepted the loft bedroom with its full bed and bathroom, so I think I got everyone accounted for," Catherine finished.

"Why'd you take the loft one?" Jim queried.

"I just loved its layout of it and the little privacy deck. That's snug and cozy to me. Also with me getting up early to make breakfast, I won't be waking someone else up to shower, get dressed and head downstairs. It's all practical," Iris replied.

"You mean you won't be waking up anyone **beside** you," Jim said to barb her yet again.

Iris only glared at him, refusing to be baited by him. She thought of the saying, "Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me."

"Thankfully, the rooms to be shared have separate queen-size beds," Nick said gratefully.

Grissom and Warrick pulled up in two white Ford Excursions with the characteristic sound of diesel engines.

"Beats your Bronco all to heck," Greg teased Iris.

"Those bad boys have nothing on my Bronco," Iris sniffed dismissively.

"We're burning daylight so load up," Nick said with a herding gesture.

"He's getting way too into this," Sara said with rolled eyes to Iris.

"It's the cowboy hat…makes him think he's Duke Wayne," Iris chuckled.

"You know, Jim, I think we're gonna stick around until your group's ready to fly back on Sunday," Eric informed Brass. "We don't have any charters to do back in Vegas and copilot Mike agrees this would be a nice place to spend the fourth."

"There's no room at the lodge now, Eric," Jim interjected suddenly.

"I'm sure there're other places to stay in town. The holiday crowds are bound to have some unattached ladies in the ranks," Eric said and Brass noted his gaze was focused on Iris who was talking to Grissom at the moment.

"Good hunting but as I said before not here," Jim said firmly.

"Don't worry, Jim, it's all fair in love and war inside the city limits," Eric laughed before continuing. "I think you'll catch the eye of some sweet young thing while you're here."

"Yeah…right…me and some sweet young thing," Brass joked half-heartedly.

"Stranger's happened, right, buddy?" Eric chortled. "Come on, Mike, let's get situated in town. Go check out rental cars. See you 'round, Jim!"

Eric made a point to chat up Iris once more before leaving. "Now, remember, fair Iris, you've promised to look me up for a romantic flight around the nightline of Vegas on a moonlit night in the future."

"Watch it, Iris, he's a wolf in the sheep's clothing," Brass warned with a disapproving snort.

"I'll hold you to that flight of the heart, Master Eric," Iris said a bit too coyly as Brass couldn't believe she was going for this crap.

After Eric had left them, Iris was heading to the Excursion that Grissom would be driving so Brass opted to walk with her before heading to the one Warrick would drive.

"Now look, Velma, don't tell me you'll take Eric up on that offer," Jim pressed her.

"Yes, I'm actually looking forward to the idea of it," she retorted tartly.

"Well, take it from me that you and Eric by yourselves in a helicopter isn't a good idea at all," Brass said, his jaw set stubbornly.

"Who said I'd be flying with him alone? I'd want my special someone with me, whoever that might be, and its for darn sure not Eric," Iris challenged but he knew he'd gotten at her yet again when he saw a sad expression darken her face for a split second before a forced smile took its place.

Brass chewed his lip thoughtfully as he watched her climb into Grissom's Excursion before he went on to Warrick's vehicle. They were each taking great pains to keep their mutual contact to a minimum.

Inside the Grissom Express, as Greg laughingly called it, Sara was naturally riding shotgun with him. She turned to say something humorous to Iris who looked somber while her gaze followed the homicide detective outside until he boarded the Excursion behind them.

"Are you and Brass on the outs with each other?" Sara whispered, nudging her friend out of concern.

"He and I? Uh, no, it's all good. He's just being a butt at times, you know Brass can be at times," Iris reassured her but her voice sounded hollow.

Sara took that to be a closed subject now but gave her friend a supportive hand squeeze.

Iris mouthed a silent "thank you."

The team and their three guests were now fully loaded into the two Excursions to head for the Lazy Bear Lodge.

. . . . .

Grissom decided to be spontaneous even though their trip itinerary was mapped out in his head. He and Warrick had a pair of two-way radios with a 5-mile radius to keep in contact between the vehicles for whoever was driving.

"Warrick, we're going to stop in Truckee first to get an idea of the layout of the town and its activities through Sunday to see if there's anything else we want to do while here," Grissom instructed via the two-way radio.

"Lead on, Macbeth," Warrick replied, causing Grissom to smile at his end, knowing their team supervisor was a Shakespeare buff.

Catherine's laughter could be heard in the background of Warrick's two-way radio. "Don't give him a big head now!"

"Breaker 1-9 for Othello," Grissom said into his two-way radio.

"You got him, my liege," Warrick replied with a thick southern drawl.

"Laying it on a bit thick aren't we?" Grissom chuckled.

"That's a big 10-4, guess we have to save it for the Vegas Renaissance Festival then?" Warrick said, background laughter occurring from those riding with him.

"Why do I get the feeling this could be a magical weekend?" Sara asked Grissom with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"I think it's ripe with possibilities," Grissom answered cryptically.

"How about you, Iris? What'd you like to see happen?" Greg queried his seat mate.

"I'd like to think there's some magic out there waiting for me," Iris allowed with a faint smile.

"Consider me your knight in shining armor then, milady Iris, or until your Prince Charming reveals himself," Greg proposed.

"My ever gallant Sir Greggo," Iris chuckled when he went so far as to kiss the back of her hand.

Grissom took a look in the rear view mirror. It was rare anymore for Greg to display a vestige of how outrageous he could be and genuinely funny while at it. An image of Greg parading around the lab in a theatrical headdress that Gloria Swanson might have worn in a 1920's vamp movie came to mind and it caused Grissom to admit to himself he missed that part of Greg's personality. Perhaps the retreat would cause that part of Greg to resurface.

. . . . .

The late morning sky was azure blue and the clouds above the nearby mountains looked like cotton candy you could reach out to grab and eat. Just perfect weather Grissom thought to himself. As the Excursions drove slowly through Truckee, the occupants looked out to see a picturesque small town looking like a Norman Rockwell painting from years ago. Flags waved lazily in the summer breeze and the shops were festooned with red-white-blue bunting. A steady stream of people moved about the square to check out the sights. Street vendors set up in tents along the periphery of the courthouse which constituted the square. Bands were doing sound checks in the train depot parking lot area. The smells of various foods wafted through the air and caused mouths to water, Greg in particular who was already hungry. A carnival took up one side of the square and its midway took part of Main Street also. Grissom picked a side street just off the square after noting the signs stating no parking on the square for the Truckee Fourth Festival.

After parking the Excursions, everyone disembarked and Grissom addressed the group. "Okay, we're here long enough to get a general idea of what the activities are here this afternoon and tonight. We'll then head to the lodge to get unpacked and decide on when we're coming back. I'd like to see us stick together as much as possible during the retreat here to reinforce this as a group event."

"Hey, could we make a stop at a grocery store before we head to the lodge to get what's needed for me to make breakfast, snacks and drinks for those who get the munchies, etc.?" Iris asked.

"I'll help," Greg offered.

"Me too," Sara chimed in.

"Perhaps we'll all stop since everyone's tastes are different," Grissom considered.

"Works for me," Iris said.

"Let's explore," Nick said his eyes scanning the crowds ahead of them.

That's Nickers, anxious to scope out the female element, Iris thought drily.

Sara took Grissom's hand and they headed toward the where shops and vendors' tents were set up. Catherine followed suit with Warrick, Iris thinking how well the two couples complemented each other. She sighed inwardly glancing at her own empty hand walking along side Greg as Nick, Hodges, Brass and Ecklie brought up the rear.

The first store they came to was called North Star Jewelry and also had a vendor tent set up in the front showing the same name. Gold and silver jewelry of all types were on display. A blonde-haired woman with her back to them was adjusting a rack of earrings. Iris was admiring a silver, coral and turquoise cross with a Native American design while Ecklie was doing the same of a belt buckle with an intricate design to it when Brass sidled up to her. "So, that caught your eye, eh, Velma? Figures it's a cross."

"It's a lovely piece," Iris replied but ignored Brass after that. He shrugged and moved on to the next booth. "Ma'am, could you tell me the price, please?"

The blonde turned and Iris thought she was looking at a Nordic goddess who could have been a shield maiden to Thor clad in silver armor and holding a broadsword.

"You have a good eye. The belt buckle's also one of my favorite pieces," the statuesque woman indicated the cross Iris held before her gaze drifted to Ecklie.

"Uh, you like this one?" Ecklie asked with a slightly higher pitch to his voice before he coughed with a suddenly reddened face.

Oh me, Ecklie's blushing, Iris thought. The lab director was one who prided himself on nothing ever disturbing his professional demeanor. He was now acting like a smitten teenager.

The blonde woman smiled slightly at his reaction and offered him a bottled water as she introduced herself. "Yes, I do like that particular buckle. I'm Toreth Hallstrom, owner of North Star Jewelry. Are you here for the festival?"

"Yes, we're here from Las Vegas on a team retreat," Iris said. "I'm Iris King and this is Conrad Ecklie."

"Ah, Conrad is old Germanic and means 'brave, bold ruler and counsel'," Toreth said with sparkling blue eyes fixed on the lab director.

"It is…I mean…," Ecklie was tongue-tied.

"And Iris means 'bridge'," an amused Toreth said at Ecklie's stuttering.

"You're a student of names?" Iris asked curiously. "Your last name tells me you're of Swedish descent."

"Correct. Toreth is Welsh for 'abundant'. I'm Welsh on my mother's side and Swedish on dad's side. My dad says I'm Swelsh as a result. I've always been fascinated by names and what they mean and if they describe the person who bears it. I think it does in Conrad's case just on first impression. Anyway, I've committed a great many to memory," Toreth replied with a brief chuckle at the "Swelsh" term, but with a dazzling smile and Iris could tell Ecklie was a goner.

The rest of the group had scattered to the nearby vendor tents briefly before Grissom rounded them up and they regrouped at the North Star Jewelry tent.

Toreth was engaged in an animated conversation primarily with Ecklie who was as chatty as Iris had ever seen him to be.

"Gang, this is Toreth Hallstrom, owner of North Star Jewelry," Iris went on to quickly introduce the group.

"Toreth, lovely name, can you give us a general idea of where there is to do here in Truckee? We're staying at the Lazy Bear Lodge until Sunday," Grissom asked with something of a dreamy look.

Sara glanced at him sharply, Catherine doing the same at Warrick, before their eyes met and they caught Iris' amused smile. This woman had all of the men under her spell. They'd all bark like dogs if she asked it of them Sara believed.

"It's slow right now but later this afternoon after the heat's broken will be area bands playing different types of music from jazz to country to vintage music from the 40's and 50's that you can listen or dance depending on your taste. You can sample the local restaurants at the vendor tents. There's also the carnival. Come back later because that's when this place will be jumping. There'll be a classic car on Saturday, and you have to catch the fireworks show at the lake on Friday and Saturday!" Toreth said with a sweeping gesture of her hand to show the team the breadth of the festival.

"Is that twosome dancing or can you show up looking for someone to dance with?" Nick drawled and coupled it with his widest grin.

"Both," Toreth answered warmly.

"Can you save one for me?" Greg was bold.

"Possibly," she said.

"Will you be here?" Ecklie asked carefully.

"Yes, I close the shop at five p.m. during the festival. I hope to see you…all of you here later," Toreth said but her pause didn't escape Ecklie who cautiously smiled.

"Can you recommend a good place for us to park when we return?" Catherine decided to bring the men down to earth.

"Park behind my store," Toreth instructed.

"Time to go," Sara declared firmly and poked Grissom in the ribs for emphasis.

"Uh, right, we need to the grocery," Grissom said as Sara slid her arm around his waist to guide him away from the blonde bombshell.

"Uh, Jim, you coming or do I need to find you a bib?" Iris asked pointedly.

Brass' eyes blinked several times as if he reorienting himself before he gave Toreth one last lingering stare before he turned toward Iris. "Now, Iris, if that was waiting at home for me every day, you'd probably hear me calling in quite a bit!"

"True that," Nick agreed and high-fived Greg.

Iris just rolled her eyes at Brass.

The men said their farewells reluctantly to leave Toreth to attend to another customer but her last look was at Ecklie who nervously smiled in return.

Iris took one moment to make a vague excuse to say she'd forgotten to get a price on the cross she liked and walked back to the North Star Jewelry tent rapidly. Toreth saw her coming and greeted her with a warm smile.

"Did you forget something, Iris?"

"No but I think you should know that Conrad's single and one hundred percent available!"

"Well, I'll keep that in mind."

With that, she spun on her heels and hurried back to the waiting group humming "Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match…" from "Fiddler on the Roof."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

At the Safeway Grocery, Grissom felt it would save them time if they split up into three smaller groups. He reminded everyone that they were only here four days and aside from Iris fixing breakfast, they didn't need to make this a shopping expedition like the ill-fated Donner party all those years ago.

Iris was in the dairy and produce section with Greg and Ecklie. She knew their lab director was trying to hard to fit in away from the lab but nearly everyone seemed to keep their distance. She knew part of it stemmed from the way Ecklie's reputation of ingratiating himself to advance his career preceded him. Iris had seen it firsthand herself but for one weekend she'd try her best to treat him in a different way.

"Conrad, can you reach the orange juice for me, please? I'm too vertically challenged. I want it to be no pulp," Iris requested as she pointed to the brand she liked, sure that the rest of the team would too.

Ecklie looked pleased to be of use. "Sure, how many?"

"Um, I think five gallons should do the trick. You agree, Greg?" she asked but Greg had his attention focused on a young woman with copper-colored hair and a golden tan with a bit of a Rubenesque figure whose cart was parked next to theirs. She was scrutinizing various cucumbers by holding each one to compare for its length and circumference. Greg was mesmerized by her innocent activity.

Ecklie and Iris exchanged an amused look.

"Greg?" Iris asked again in a sharper tone. The younger CSI was so startled in reflex that his grocery cart careened into the woman's, causing him to catch the cart's rebound in the abdomen. To her credit, the woman kept a firm grip on the last cucumber she was evaluating.

"Oh, sh…uh, I mean, shoot…sorry I bumped into you. Is your cucumber okay?" Greg exclaimed as his eyebrows and voice rose in pitch to show his panic. He also didn't realize he was flushing a bright pink.

The woman was about a head shorter than Greg and she gave him a cool appraising stare from top to bottom. Her mouth quirked slightly before she responded with a throaty laugh that had a musical quality to it, "I'm okay but how's _**your**_ cucumber?"

"I don't have one…" Greg began and gulped when he took in the full meaning of her inquiry.

Ecklie and Iris looked on, still concealing their mutual amusement with great effort.

The woman moved closer to Greg and handed him the last cucumber she still held which was by far the largest. "Now you do and one can hope you have something in common with it."

Several moments passed as the woman waited on Greg expectantly who was trying to formulate a good comeback to her direct statements.

"What's your name?" Greg sputtered at last.

"Deirdre Nolan but my friends call me Dee," she said with the same throaty quality. Greg saw her eyes were a vibrant hazel color.

"Great, Dee, I'm Greg Sanders. Maybe we'll run into each other again," Greg said confidently but on the inside he thought he was being supremely lame and missing an opportunity to meet someone.

"Festival days are legendary for romance hereabouts so who knows. See you 'round in the checkout line of life," Dee grinned with a wink at him while she boldly ran a finger down Greg's forearm.

After the coppery redhead had departed, Iris couldn't resist as she mimicked a voice on a PA, "Clean up of cucumbers in the produce aisle."

Ecklie put a hand on Greg's shoulder. "Weird day, Sanders, isn't it? I meet a blonde goddess and you meet a full-figured beauty who digs your cucumber!"

"I had a total brain fart! She's amazing! You'd think I could've said something noteworthy to her," Greg said, dejected.

"Your innocent boy next door looks caught her attention but if you see her again just think cucumber because I think you made an impression," Iris assured him.

"Think so?" Greg asked with caution.

"At the very least you can buy that green bad boy there to bring for extra fun," Ecklie proposed as Greg's groan could be heard three aisles away.

"Be with you boys in a moment, I want to get some apple juice," Iris said and went back toward the produce section. Dee was still looking vegetables over when Iris saw her. They shared a brief conversation before Iris had to get her apple juice and join back up with Ecklie and Greg before they came looking for her.

. . . . .

Grissom had gone out to bring the Excursion closer to the store while Sara was shopping with Brass and Hodges in the section of the store that carried alcohol. She wanted to buy a certain wine but couldn't remember it by the vineyard's name. She'd texted Grissom who instead called her back. Her ring tone for him was "_The Bug_" (sung by Mary Chapin Carpenter), causing both Hodges and Brass to shake their heads at her.

"Where'd you get this? I didn't think you liked country," Brass observed drily.

"Iris recommended it for obvious reasons and Griss likes baseball too so it works on different levels," Sara grinned and walked away a short distance to talk further to Grissom.

"Godamighty but that woman gets under my skin," Brass complained to Hodges.

"I'm surprised to hear you say that, Jim, because she gets along so well with the team. It seems to me you two did prior to the trip. I heard about your dunking by the way," Hodges remarked casually.

"Iris told you?" Brass was really irritated now.

"No, no, I got it secondhand from other, uh, observers of the event," Hodges clarified, now berating himself for inadvertently naming his source of that information. "I don't see Iris as one to readily make that public knowledge."

"I'll kick Nick's or Warrick's butt sometime during this trip so help me for ratting me out. I'm gonna need some serious booze to get through this weekend!" Jim grunted and turned his attention to the rum, whisky and vodka section.

Hodges grimaced at the drastic turn of their conversation and backpedaled to shift the topic elsewhere. "Jim, did you know you had a dark brunette checking you out back at the tent vendors?

"Oh? What brunette where?" the homicide detective allowed a small margin of interest to creep into his voice.

"She was a waitress at the Mexican restaurant tent," Hodges declared. "She was staring at you I'm positive."

"So why didn't you tell me? I don't know. Nick was standing by me and he had his vibe going out as he calls it. The guy can get hooked up and laid without lifting a finger. Me, I gotta work at it and then some," Brass said doubtfully and shook his head.

"She's probably working later when we come back so look her up when we go back," Hodges encouraged.

"Maybe," Brass rubbed at his chin.

Hodges' cell phone began to ring to "_I Drove All Night_" (sung by Cyndi Lauper).

Brass cocked an eyebrow at Hodges. "Who's the skirt calling?"

"Uh, it's personal, excuse me please," Hodges refused to elaborate and Jim was left to peruse the liquor alone.

"He's full of it, denying it was Wendy," Brass sighed aloud to himself. If Hodges could get a female's attention, and a hot one at that, then why couldn't he? He sighed again and started putting varied bottles of rum, whiskey, vodka, and six-packs of beer before going to the next aisle to get more bottles to make drink mixes where he caught up with Hodges.

"So, how's Wendy?" Brass asked bluntly.

"Uh, it wasn't her," Hodges denied it, shaking his head emphatically.

"Don't bull me, Hodges," Jim rumbled.

"Okay, it was her. I'm just bummed she couldn't come too," Hodges admitted with a dejected look.

"Ah, well, I can understand that…missing the company of your lady," Brass nodded empathetically.

"My lady….hmm…has a nice sound to it," Hodges smiled slightly.

"Come on, next aisle is for snacks and sodas, I'll even let you drive," Brass said amiably and shoved the cart Hodges' way.

. . . . . .

Almost everyone was out from the store except for Brass and Nick, who were going for a final snack and alcohol run, Grissom glanced at his watch when Iris tugged at his sleeve.

"I forgot to get some allspice for baking, I need to go back in," she requested.

"No, better call Brass or Nick to get it since they're still in the store," Grissom suggested.

Iris sat back and scrolled down her phone numbers to hit Nick's number but instead hit Brass' because Jim came just before Nick in her order. "Blast", she muttered.

"What was that?" Grissom turned his head toward her.

"Uh, I said Brass…I'm calling Brass," Iris amended quickly.

. . . . .

Brass was chatting up the attractive honey-blonde working the checkout register as Nick was ready to pay for their items. His cell phone was an interruption he didn't need and in particular with the ring tone that accompanied it.

Nick raised an eyebrow as he heard it. "Who could that be?"

"It's Iris," Brass said with a noncommittal grunt.

"_**That's**_** her ringtone?"** Nick's surprise was genuine.

"You know how she's always singing something out loud half the time. I heard her sing this one. I was trying to get her goat and kidded her asking if it was about me. She just clammed up, blushed beet red and refused to discuss it further. I downloaded it for kicks and made it hers," Brass shrugged and stepped back to take her call.

"Brass, talk to me."

"Jim, Iris here."

"You don't say…whatcha need, Velma?"

"Could you please go to the bakery aisle and get me a small canister of allspice?"

"Aw, hell, Iris, we're in the checkout line right now!"

"I'll make it up to you, Jim, pretty please with sugar on top!"

"Make that cinnamon sugar and you got a deal."

"Thanks, Jim, whatever other terms you can name too."

Brass pocketed his phone with a smirk. Oh, the woman didn't know what other terms he could come up with. He walked quickly to the bakery items to get what was needed.

Nick was waiting while he and the checkout lady heard the conversation between Brass and Iris.

"Was that his wife?" she frowned with an apparent "I hope it isn't" expression.

"Uh, yeah, he's totally spoken for," Nick replied, hating to stretch the truth but he didn't embrace the idea of Brass fishing in these particular waters.

The woman's disappointment was genuine but she masked it quickly as Jim put the allspice on the register's rolling conveyor belt. "Sorry about that, had to get one last thing. Where were we now? So, do you go to the Fourth Festival by chance?"

"Uh, sorry, no I don't as I work to close each night this week," she said neutrally and the earlier warmth Jim had heard in her voice was gone.

Like a hockey forward getting nowhere with a goalie to score, he knew a shutout when he saw it.

As he and Nick left the store, he said to the Texan, "I don't get it. I had a good conversation going with her and bam she goes icebox."

"Well, I think she mentioned something about a husband when you went after the allspice for Iris," Nick drawled convincingly.

"Husband? Damn, that'd be all I need. Thanks for letting me know," Jim cast one last resigned look at the store.

Iris was talking to Hodges about the brownie bakeoff they'd be doing when the Excursion's side door opened.

"Here you go, honey," Brass tossed her the allspice can. "Do you want me to go back in to get a pack of Trojans?"

He stared fixedly at Iris awaiting her answer while Grissom, Sara, Greg and Ecklie broke up in raucous laughter.

Iris' glare made daggers at the detective but without missing a beat shot back to go for maximum shock value, "Yes, snookums, you better and make sure they're extra ribbed for my pleasure! Oh and don't forget some of that K-Y Intense Satisfaction we like to use too. You're getting the massage of a lifetime this weekend!"

"Be careful what you wish for!" Brass warned with a roguish grin.

Iris made a sour face and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Promises, promises, babe, payback's a bear, ain't it!" Jim chuckled and shut the Excursion door.

"He's so going to get it," Iris fumed, shoving the can of allspice in a grocery bag.

"Get what?" asked Greg with a wicked grin.

"His comeuppance and it won't be what he's expecting," Iris promised.

"Can we head on to the lodge now?" laughed Grissom before he radioed Warrick they were officially on the way.

. . . . .

Warrick gave a slow whistle as he pulled up behind Grissom when he beheld the Lazy Bear Lodge.

"O Sire Macbeth, you know this is a love nest and not a retreat," he said soberly into his two-way radio. Catherine acted like she was putting a finger down her throat.

"Othello, my dark vassal, I view this as a multidimensional social opportunity for the team to share," Grissom's serene voice replied.

"Meaning he expects to get lucky with Sara," Catherine leaned over to whisper in his ear while her hand boldly patted the inside of his thigh.

"I think more than one person holds the same thought," Warrick said with deep dimples punctuating his smile at her.

Brass watched them from the back seat and didn't object. Catherine'd had her share of jerks and Warrick was okay in his mind. The senior CSI had had traumatic events in recent years – the death of her ex-husband Eddie and her father Sam Braun chief among them. Jim knew Brown treated Catherine decently and they kept the mutual attraction they felt at bay pretty well in his opinion. However, here the couple might be able to let their walls down fully, the same with Grissom and Sara, and 'ol Ecklie would just have to look the other way. Grissom had told him that Ecklie had considered reprimanding Grissom and Sara when their relationship had become open knowledge in the lab. He'd had a heated debate with Grissom and demanded that Sara transfer to a different shift or to another crime lab outright. Grissom had rationally told Ecklie he'd simply resign his position and go to teaching if pressed on the matter and knew he'd called Ecklie's bluff when the lab director backed off.

Nick climbed out of the Warrick Excursion followed by Brass. He thumped his chest and took in a deep breath. "Man, smell that fresh air, invigoratin' , ain't it?"

"I suppose so, let's unload, huh?" Brass wanted to get this over with.

"Hey, y'all, this is a momentous event for us. I think we should rename our dwelling while we're here. The Lazy Bear Lodge sounds like we brought grandma and the kids!" Nick proposed. "Come on now, any ideas?"

Iris stood scanning the picturesque setting of the large wooden home and the surrounding woods. Grissom came to stand by her. "I can hear those wheels of yours turning."

"You know it'll either be Grissom or Iris to come up with something," Catherine said while she took out her suitcase from the back of the Warrick Excursion. "Nicky, put yourself to use!"

"Iris, I'm saying you have it," Grissom deferred.

"Je ceci adoube la loge d'amour," Iris smiled after several moments. "Two years of foreign language in high school – French and Spanish – serves me at long last."

"Sounds sexy but what'd you say?" Nick asked as he toted Catherine's suitcase to the front door.

"In French I said I dub this the lodge of love or I suppose lovers' lodge," Iris laughed.

"So you **are** planning to get lucky, eh?" Brass smirked.

"Not like that…a quickie weekend with someone who I won't matter to on Monday…my hopes are a bit higher than yours, sir," Iris replied frostily before she stalked up the walkway to the front door.

"Ouch, she smoked you, Jim! Iris one, Brass zero!" Greg said with "SSSTTT" sound and a thumb to his behind.

"Stick to unloading your stuff, Junior," Brass rumbled.

. . . . .

At the front door of the lodge, Grissom went to the head of the line with key in hand but before unlocking it he turned and said solemnly to the group while swinging the door open, "Behold, Shangri-La."

"Yeah, yeah, corny but it works," Catherine sniffed.

The door swung wide and they poured in like ants into the front entryway of the main floor.

"Grissom, you did outdo yourself," Sara whispered to him and the expressions on the rest of the group's faces confirmed it.

"Wow, boss, if the bedrooms look anything like down here you won't be seeing much of me this weekend," Nick commented.

"Oh, Lordy, I'm in lust," Iris set down her bags by the kitchen. "Look out, folks, some serious cooking will be going down in here!"

"Great, I left my other bag in the truck," Catherine hit her head with a "V8" gesture and walked out.

"Gil, uh, how long before we'll head back to the festival?" Ecklie asked somewhat anxiously.

"That depends but we'll be back in time for the late afternoon festivities that Toreth told us about," Grissom assured him, thinking he didn't blame the lab director's unspoken hope might involve a certain jewelry boutique owner.

"Warrick, didn't I put a second bag in the truck?" Catherine inquired tartly as she came back inside.

"You did. I saw you put in. Can't find it?" Warrick replied.

"No. My make-up is in there and other overnight stuff," Catherine replied, frustrated.

"Let me go look," Warrick said smoothly.

"Got him around your pinky finger?" Sara whispered to Catherine.

"Well, not quite but who knows," Catherine said back in a low voice.

Her cell phone began to ring with the tune of "_You Sexy Thing_" (sung by Hot Chocolate). Iris rarely saw their lead CSI flush but Catherine's hue of bright pink was pronounced. Iris and the others present kept collectively neutral expressions for her benefit. They all knew without saying who the song title was in reference to but none knew it was actually her secret nickname for Warrick of hot chocolate.

"Uh, Warrick, you're just 20 feet outside!" Catherine gasped when he came back inside carrying a small overnight bag.

"Huh?" Warrick was mystified.

"You were calling me," Catherine said pointedly, holding up her cell phone that was still ringing with the ringtone he knew she'd picked for his calls.

"Oops, sorry, must've hit redial in my back pocket when I was trying to get your bag which by the way was in between the second and rear seats," Warrick apologized with a wide grin.

"Well, sooner we get unpacked the sooner the fun can start," Grissom instructed.

Sara had finished putting her clothes up but Catherine was still placing hers in drawers. "I'll see you downstairs."

"Sure," Catherine said.

Two sharp knocks rapped on the door.

"Come in," Grissom said.

Sara came in and saw Grissom sprawled on the king-size bed. She shook her head slightly and explored the rest of the master suite bedroom. In the bathroom she let go an audible gasp that Grissom heard easily and when she walked back into the bedroom her envious look made him chuckle.

"I want that bathroom back at the condo! The master bath shower has got to be 5'x5' at least and the natural stone looking tiles of blue, tan and gray. You don't need this all to yourself, Griss!"

Grissom said nothing save for an enigmatic smile.

"Comfortable?" Sara asked sarcastically with an arched eyebrow as she came to stand by the bed.

In a move that belied his otherwise sedate presentation, Grissom answered by pulling Sara down into the bed with him, rolling her playfully and pinning her.

"Rank has its privileges but who said I meant to have this all to myself?" Grissom said down at her with a sly smirk.

Sara's hands tangled in his graying curls possessively as she bent his willing mouth to hers.

. . . . .

It took Iris very little time to unpack and she wanted to get back downstairs to put away the groceries, but she had to take a moment to go out on the small deck from the loft bedroom. Sliding the glass door open, she stepped through and onto the wooden flooring. There was a loveseat patio couch positioned to watch the sunset on the nearby lake. Iris found herself thinking she would have some tea to sit and enjoy watching before the weekend was out. It looked well-cushioned and comfortable. Shangri-la Grissom had called it and for her this was it. While she held the same expectations with the rest of the group for fun activities, she sensed the strong undercurrent the rest seemed to have of aspirations for either meeting someone or solidifying a bond already in place with very intimate activity. This wouldn't apply to her she knew and her heavy sigh startled a squirrel in a nearby pine tree and its scolding chatter caused her to chuckle. It bettered her mood while she wished the rest of her travel companions well in their pursuits of the heart.

. . . . .

Nick and Warrick had settled what and who went where in their room. They were now discussing a potentially sensitive situation.

"Okay, amigo, what's the deal if during one of these nights at the festival we each meet someone who may come back with us?" Nick asked as he relaxed on his bed.

"I think you're the one with that problem because I'm laying odds I don't have to look very far," Warrick grinned with a jerk of his thumb towards Catherine's room.

"I sort of thought that but we have to make arrangements if one of us comes back and the room's already, uh, occupied…," Nick's voice trailed off with a large smile of anticipation.

"Just hang a bra on the doorknob and keep it simple," Warrick suggested slyly.

. . . . .

Brass and Ecklie had made token small talk while unpacking in their room, Brass quickly claiming the bed closest to the door which was always his sleeping preference. Jim still couldn't figure out why Grissom would have him bunking with someone who he associated with as little as possible. Both Ecklie and Undersheriff McKeen should be in the same digs, now there were two birds of a feather he mused. He'd make the best of it and only be back here to hit the hay late at night or unless he did the catch the attention of some sweet young thing as Eric was predicting. Jim still couldn't figure why he'd struck out swinging with the Safeway checkout lady but his batting average with the fairer sex had never been in a slump for this long. Maybe there was some magic out there waiting just for him…it could happen.

. . . . .

Greg and Hodges had no issues settling the order of their room. Greg wanted to take a cat nap, so Hodges came downstairs where he heard the rustling of paper bags. He found Iris bustling about where she was going to be undisputed mistress.

"Need a hand?" Hodges offered.

"Sure. Grissom asked us to get just was needed but you'd think we rationed provisions to last through a siege," Iris laughed.

Hodges started on the bags closest to him and Iris told him what should go where. The packets of herbal ingredients he had for his secret brownie mix were placed with the other elements as these were to be made from scratch.

"When we do the picnic tomorrow for celebrating the fourth, how long again will we need to make brownies?" Hodges asked to refresh his memory.

"Well, David, I got to thinking about it and perhaps brownie cupcakes might work better. They'll be easier for folks to grab. All told it'll take about thirty minutes," Iris recommended.

Hodges started involuntarily. Her suggestion was a simple but brilliant solution to a problem he'd struggled with about the brownie project. "That's a great idea, Iris! You know I could personalize them even more, say by putting initials on them."

"Sounds good to me so whatever tech support you need you have," Iris said.

. . . . .

Grissom figured an hour was plenty of time for everyone to get acclimated to the layout of the lodge, unpack their stuff, and have a little rest.

"Let's roll! I think we can fit everyone in one truck!" Grissom called upstairs for those still there. He wanted to preserve the idea of unity as much as possible during their retreat. It was nearly four o'clock and he wanted them to get back in time to explore the vendors and have an idea of what that evening's activities offered.

. . . . .

Catherine was reading from a brochure she'd picked up earlier in the day that outlined what Thursday evening had for the Fourth Festival. "The carnival sounds fun. Hey, so does this, two local bands are playing tonight through Saturday. The Vintage Vibes do music from the 40's to early 60's. A country band called Deep River does contemporary country hits. There's space reserved for dancing and line dancing lessons are offered at 6 p.m. An outside movie will be showing also but the title's to be announced. Who's in?"

"What no hip-hop?" Warrick complained.

"Yeah, no alternative, no techno, no rave?" Greg lamented.

"Look at it as the chance to broaden your tastes in music," Iris encouraged.

"Dancing going's to be limited at best," Greg countered.

"No, you have it wrong, Greg, because it offers what real dancing can be," Iris insisted.

"You saying you don't see what's currently hot in dance as real?" Warrick was curious to hear where she was going with this.

"I'm saying that from the standpoint of couples dancing what you view as "hot" is foreplay so just save it and get a room," Iris responded.

To her chagrin, Warrick, Nick and Greg broke up in laughter.

"I'm just saying real couple dancing is intimate and more connected on a deeper level. The story of the currently popular moves just boasts let's get down, let's get it on, let's go our separate ways," Iris clarified.

"Our Iris, always the true romantic," Catherine said truthfully.

"There's something to be said for dancing with someone slow and close," Sara came to Iris' defense but her look was at Grissom.

"Yeah, that kind of dancing appeals to me with the right person," Ecklie agreed.

"Yes, the right one," Hodges concurred wistfully.

"I don't see it happening with line dancing though," Nick snorted.

"You're from Texas, Nicky, so how can you not like country music and line dancing?" Grissom asked, looking at the rear view mirror.

"Why is it when you're from a particular locale that it's assumed you like what that area's notable for?" Nick griped and continued. "I can line dance sort of and I like some country but it's not across the board!"

"So why the cowboy hat that you made sure to be wearing now?" Sara challenged.

"Uh, it can't hurt with meeting the ladies. I like keeping an ace up my sleeve," Nick admitted sheepishly.

"Whaddaya mean, Nick, you don't need a hat to bag some company!" Brass finally came into the conversation after having heard enough bull.

"He's right, man, you have highest average of anyone I know," Warrick winked at his best friend.

"Okay, let's regroup shall we? The conversation went off into left field. Are we agreed that we're checking out the carnival and the bands?" Grissom inquired into the rear view mirror again.

The chorus was unanimous of varying affirmative responses.

. . . . .

After parking the Excursion behind the North Star Jewelry store where Toreth had said they could, the group stopped by her tent first because Grissom was sure Ecklie was going to burst before having the chance to talk to her again.

"Conrad, so nice to see you again," Toreth's smile bedazzled him anew.

"We're back," Conrad said a bit lamely to Grissom's ear.

"Why don't you see if you can be of help to Toreth to close up her tent and shop, and then join us in the band area?" Iris tugged on the belt loop of Ecklie's jeans.

"Uh, right, I'd be glad to be of assistance," Ecklie's head bobbed.

"I would appreciate that very much," Toreth said, blue eyes sparkling.

As the group headed now to the band section of the square, Brass made sure to fall in step beside Iris. "So you're adding matchmaker to your resume?"

"I see potential there and it'd be nice to see Ecklie meet someone. He's been alone too long and so have you if I may so," Iris declared.

"My love life is of interest to you?" Brass chuckled drily.

"Call it old-fashioned but I'd like to think there's the right someone for everyone," Iris replied with candor.

"Iris, that's called fantasy and sentimental hogwash," Brass snapped bitterly and saw her eyes darken sadly.

Iris' silence went several moments as she chose her response carefully. "That may be but I still remain hopeful for you and even for me."

She quickened her stride to walk past him and beside Hodges.

"Did you get Iris miffed?" Greg said after overhearing their exchange.

"Naw, just trying to set her straight about how the world works," Brass grunted as he watched Iris' faster steps to keep up with her taller companions. It always reminded him of watching a wind up toy.

"She knows better than some how it works, Brass man, remember she's a widow," Greg commented.

"Tend to your own knitting, okay?" Jim rumbled.

. . . . .

After extended discussion, the group agreed to eat at a Mexican restaurant's tent and while Hodges had assured Brass of a waitress checking him out, the lab tech now said he didn't see her. Jim wasn't surprised given how his luck was running.

When they were finished eating, they all walked over the part of the square set up for the live bands and dancing.

At the small stage where the Deep River country band had set up, the group spied a sign saying "Free Line Dancing Lessons Here." A raven-haired Latina woman stood by it dressed in tight-fitting jeans and a midriff red top. She was looking through music CD's as Grissom chose to approach her first.

"Ma'am, can you tell us who does the line dancing lessons and when do they start?"

"That would be me and I'm running a bit late, sorry," she apologized. "Are all of you wanting to dance here tonight?"

"Yes, all of us," Grissom replied.

"Okay, just let me say the lessons are free but tips are gratefully accepted," the woman said with a Hispanic accent and her eyes went to Nick's cowboy hat. "So we have a genuine cowpuncher here!"

"Uh, no, not really but I am from Texas," Nick drawled with a wide grin.

Brass found himself silently counting how long it would take for Nick's fatal combination of looks and charm to do the young woman in.

"How delightful a Texas man who knows all about line dancing so you can help me with your friends," the young woman strolled over to him to casually link arms for a moment.

"To be truthful, ma'am, I don't really line dance," Nick confessed slowly.

"Don't fret, handsome, you can do the steps beside me. I get the impression you're a fast learner and quick to succeed in getting what you desire," the woman said with a flirtatious lowering of her eyelashes.

Jim was now reassessing this exchange and thinking it could now go the other way in the dark haired woman's favor. Nick could be the casualty here because she was gorgeous he admitted enviously.

"I don't see anyone else coming early so you're my how-to group. Let's get the name calling out of the way. I'm Alicia Ross. So have you all been to the Truckee Fourth Festival before?" Alicia said while her eyes still rested on Nick.

"I'm Nick Stokes. We're crime scene investigators from the crime lab in Las Vegas," Nick introduced himself and shook her hand. "We're all here on a team retreat. You don't look or sound like you're from around here."

"I'm originally from San Diego. I'm a teacher here in Truckee and a part-time belly dancer. My mother's from Madrid, Spain, but my father's homegrown Anglo. Dancing's in my genes – mom's a flamenco instructor and dad's a choreographer. So you do like what I see on TV and get the bad guys by checking fingerprints and such?" Alicia said with interest as she held Nick's attention.

"It's a bit more involved and takes more than a few commercial breaks," Nick chuckled.

The rest of the group quickly followed suit in letting their names and professions be made known.

"It's great to meet you CSI's and also Detective Brass. I admire the work you do but I'm glad to say your services won't be needed here. Truckee's never had a murder to my recollection," Alicia told them.

"Can you book her for my next birthday party? A belly dancer would be so hot," Brass whispered to Iris. He was ready for a fire-and-brimstone response.

"I'll see what I can do," she replied breezily with a fixed smile.

"Griss, I've gotta hit a restroom. No port-a-potty for me," Sara whispered up at him.

"Make it quick. I'm looking forward to learning some new moves," he said watching Alicia demonstrate a few steps to a willing Nick.

"I like the moves you have already," Sara replied with a crooked smile as she took his chin to refocus his gaze on her.

"Jealous?" Grissom smirked slightly.

"Nope," Sara said and ran her finger down his chest to stop at his belt buckle before she turned and left.

Brass was standing by Grissom as he waited for Sara's return. What should've taken a few minutes was now over fifteen. Grissom frowned at his watch and Jim couldn't resist. "You know women…never on time…hell, Nancy was late even to our wedding."

"Thankfully, Sara's been a punctual person," Grissom countered as his cell phone rang.

Brass heard a soulful Hall & Oates "_Sarah Smile_."

"Let me guess who," Jim tapped his finger to his chin.

Grissom rolled his eyes at his best friend as he quickly took the call. "Where are you? There is? How late are they open? Closed now. We'll just go tomorrow then."

Jim overheard the conversation with amusement. "Did Sara go back to North Star Jewelry to talk to Toreth about engagement rings?"

"Funny, Jim. She actually found a rock shop that has a window display of insects entombed in amber," Grissom asserted with a wave toward Sara as she was now walking back.

The next hour was spent with Alicia showing them the basics of country line dancing and its different types. Nick stayed right beside her as he doggedly learned the steps and admired how graceful Alicia was. Iris somehow ended up by Brass and helping him along as he complained about his two left feet. He was doing much better when Alicia concluded the teaching session. She was fanning herself so Nick decided to see if he could hit pay dirt.

"Thirsty?"

"Yes, I am."

"What's your poison?"

"Find me an ice cold longneck and you've got a dance partner for the night."

Nick's eyes caught a restaurant vendor tent with a bar section and went off on his errand.

Brass had overhead them and looked at his watch. Damn, right at an hour and the Texan had potentially scored company. It wasn't fair he glared up at the darkening sky.

Iris took the opportunity to strike up a quick conversation with the Latina beauty on the subject of dancing in which she also discretely incorporated a recommendation that Alicia invest time to get to know the Texan under the black hat and it would reap unexpected benefits for her.

. . . . .

The Deep River band was in the middle of playing Dierks Bentley's "Sideways." Grissom and the rest of the group were following Alicia's lead in a frenetic line dance termed booty call pretty well he thought. What was even better was the group was having a blast while at it. Ecklie and Toreth had arrived too late for the lessons and were doing their best to do the steps right, so Alicia had put herself and Nick right beside them to help out. Brass had kept up admirably with Iris in front of him as he mimicked her steps, making accidental contact with her bottom only twice.

At the conclusion of the song, the Deep River band thanked the crowd and instructed the crowd to move over to the next stage where the Vintage Vibes were preparing to begin their set.

"Well, look what the cats drug in," said the voice Brass had hoped not to hear until Sunday when they were ready to fly out.

Jim turned to see Eric making his way through the crowd with his copilot Mike. Mike, however, had his arm around the waist of a pouty-lipped dishwater blonde who was checking her look in a compact mirror.

"No babes yet?" Jim asked with the best snarky tone he had.

"Cruising the waters, Jim, but I see your net's empty too, amigo," Eric said, noting Brass was solitary also.

"Not for long, pal, I've got prospects," Jim lied convincingly.

"As do I," Eric said looking past him where Iris was seated near a vendor tent. "Excuse me, won't you?"

Brass turned and his eyes narrowed as he saw Eric approach Iris. He didn't want to consider where this might lead, so he moved as close as discretion dictated in order to keep eyes and ears on the two. He took a seat on the other side of Iris' table and looked inconspicuous. Warning bells were ringing inside and he wanted to be sure Iris didn't become another innocent fly in Eric's implied web of interest. He knew Eric well. Once he got what he wanted from a woman it was adios. The thought of that happening to Iris disturbed him. He was sure she wouldn't fall for Eric's tactics but then again Iris was lonely – something she'd stridently deny to say she had other interests to keep her busy – yet they shared this in common without active discussion.

"Iris, you're by yourself and where I come from that's just not right," Eric began and took a seat across from her.

"Oh, I'm just waiting for the Vintage Vibes to start up. I'm looking forward to hearing some older tunes," Iris only gave him eye contact for a moment.

"You have someone to dance with?" Eric asked.

Iris found her gaze frantically scanning the crowd to seek someone she knew that wasn't in the company of someone else: Grissom and Sara were conversing with Catherine and Warrick; Hodges and Greg were talking to two young women; Ecklie was engrossed with Toreth, understandably. She would even consider Jim but where was he?

"No," Iris had to admit finally.

"Consider me your liberator. Want a drink?" Eric asked with a grand bow.

This is such crap Iris would never go along with Brass thought confidently.

"Yes, I'll have a rum and Coke," Iris said lightly.

"Your wish is my command," Eric said sonorously and headed to the bar area.

Brass was dumbfounded – Iris was going to actually drink and then dance with this clown! He watched as Eric was returning several moments with drinks in hand but then Eric stopped and turned slightly. Jim watched as Eric appeared to surreptitiously drop something in one glass that he swirled several times before resuming his walk back. His eyes narrowed to slits for this aroused the detective's suspicion to a new level.

"Milady's refreshment as requested," Eric presented her with the drink and took his seat.

"Thank you," Iris replied cautiously.

"A toast if I may," Eric lifted his glass. "My heart is ever at your service."

"Well now a fellow Shakespeare admirer, eh?" Grissom was walking by with Sara and overheard the toast.

"Uh, yes, right," Eric stammered slightly, annoyed at being interrupted.

Iris wondered how many drinks the pilot had had already to make a toast like that while she sipped at her drink and nursed it for several moments. Eric downed his own quickly.

"Come now, Iris, bottoms up," he coaxed her to finish her drink.

"Eric, I take my time because I'm not really a drinker," Iris informed him.

"Well, the band's coming on stage and I want us to have a good spot on the dance floor," Eric wheedled.

"Okay, down the hatch," Iris drained the glass' contents and her eyes widened when the drink hit her stomach. She crooked a finger at Eric. "Let's go, twinkle toes."

Brass left his table also to follow them to the bandstand, a dour look creasing his features.

. . . . .

It was fifteen minutes later, Greg and Hodges were still sans female company when they heard the announcement that the Vintage Vibes were ready to play. They joined the rest of their group who were front and center. An emcee stood at the front microphone. "Now, festival goers, please welcome the Vintage Vibes!"

Greg thought what a lame emcee who left the stage and the spotlight now went on the lead singer. His jaw dropped as he recognized the person. Ecklie's slap on the back didn't help matters either.

"Good evening, Truckee! I'm Dee Nolan and we're the Vintage Vibes band. Our first song will be "_Magic is the Moonlight"_ sung by the wonderful Rosemary Clooney," Dee began and counted off one, two, three, four.

A Latin style big band sound started up as Dee began to sing in a very sultry alto: "Magic is the moonlight on this lover's dream night as I see the moonlight  
shining in your eyes. Can't resist their power in this moon lit hour, love being any flower. This is paradise. Living in the splendor of your kiss so tender  
makes my heart surrender to your love divine. Magic is the moonlight more than any dream night. Magic is the moonlight for it made you mine."

The crowd quickly changed into several couples dancing different Latin ways, but Iris and Eric were moving in a sensuous rumba. A grudging Brass had to admit that Iris was light on her feet and though Eric was much taller than her one couldn't see that in the way they danced. Dee was getting more and more into the song and looked down to see one man standing alone listening to her sing. Her lips curved up in a warm smile as she took the cordless microphone and began to serenade Greg as she went to step off the stage and Greg held up his hands to help her down.

Dee swayed to the music as she continued to sing, slipping Greg's arm around her waist so that she moved in front of him and he held her close, both of them now swaying in time to the music.

With Eric leading in their rumba as they passed Greg and Dee, Iris smiled at them thinking what a cute couple they made when they suddenly seemed to start spinning in front of her. The dizziness worsened and she felt herself sag against Eric.

Greg was at her side in a moment, his face showing his worry. "Iris?"

He glanced at Dee who nodded she understood and kept on singing as she returned to the stage.

"I think I drank that R&C too quick," Iris hiccupped.

Jim saw from his table, became alarmed, and strode quickly through the dancing couples. The rest of the team and their companions now encircled Iris and Eric, who to Brass suddenly seemed nervous but then tried to act noble. Grissom supported Iris on one side as she looked unsteady on her feet.

"Iris, what's wrong?" Brass asked, cupping her chin in his hand. He didn't like how she looked.

"Just felt like everything was spinning…probably drank that rum-coke too fast?" Iris wondered in a thick voice.

"Iris seems to be a bit under the weather. I'll be happy to drive her back to the lodge and sees she gets to bed," Eric did hit utmost to sound gallant.

"Like hell you are, pal. Catherine, Sara, help Iris to the ladies' room will ya?" Brass took charge and Grissom didn't question his friend's handling while the women each took an arm and assisted Iris toward the nearby Mexican restaurant that was open. Jim wondered momentarily if the waitress Hodges claimed had watched him earlier in the day might be there. He sighed and let it go.

"Come with me…buddy…we'll be back in a minute," Brass told the group as he took Eric by the arm.

. . . . .

"Our next song will be "_Moonlight Serenade_" sung by our bass guitarist Jack and, folks, you'll swear you're hearing THE Frankie Sinatra," Dee said and encouraged applause for their bassist to step up and take the microphone.

Jack displayed a pleasant tenor as he began to sing: "Stars are aglow and tonight how their light sets me dreaming. My love, do you know that your eyes are like stars brightly beaming? I bring you and sing you a moonlight serenade.  
Let us stray till break of day in love's valley of dreams. You and I, a summer sky, a heavenly breeze kisses the trees."

Jack knew how to work the crowd as well as Dee and made the most out of his solo as he made eye contact with different women in the crowd. He went on:

"So don't make me wait, come to me tenderly in the June light. I stand at your gate and I sing you a song in the moonlight. A love song, my darling, a moonlight serenade. We can stay till break of day in love's valley of dreams. You and I, a summer sky, a heavenly breeze kisses the trees."

Jack made a beckoning gesture to a silver-haired grandmother with grandkids near the stage who looked star struck as she approached. He seemed to pull a flower out of nowhere to resent to her while there was applause as he continued to sing.

Dee left the stage and quickly found Greg who was waiting at the side steps.

"Is your friend okay?" she asked anxiously.

"I think so. It's just Iris never gets sick. I don't get it," Greg said with a puzzled shake of his head.

"Wanna dance? This is a great song to slow dance to," Dee said and linked arms with him.

"Yeah, I do but I suck at slow stuff," Greg said shyly.

"Just move, breathe deeply, and let me lead," Dee instructed and surprised him with a quick pass of her lips on his.

. . . . .

Iris sounded worse by the minute it seemed as Catherine and Sara heard the retching again from inside the bathroom stall.

"Hey, did you just bring up a lung?" Catherine tried to sound humorous as she rapped on the stall door.

"Nothing's coming up…yet…just sound effects," Iris said weakly.

"Eric seemed concerned about you," Sara said before adding. "You going to try and connect with him?"

"No chance. He's a player and I think he knew I wasn't interested. No doubt he's off trying to conquer some other long-legged beauty which I surely ain't," Iris insisted before the urge to throw up hit her again.

"I'm glad you saw through his charms, Iris," Sara agreed.

"Charm's not the word I had in mind but, hey, even snakes have a right to exist," Catherine concurred.

"At least snakes are honest in what they're made to be," Sara considered.

The stall door opened and Iris came out looking haggard after finally expelling her stomach's contents. She rinsed out her mouth at the sink while listening to the singing and lamented, "Aw, I love that Frank Sinatra song and no one to dance with."

"Yeah, that'd of been sweet to have Warrick dip me to," Catherine said with a wistful sigh.

"Griss can do that well…dip…that is," Sara said with a slight grin.

"Let's get back out there so you two can get dipped properly. Just let me go sit at a table. I'll be fine," Iris insisted.

. . . . .

Several feet out of earshot of the others, Brass seized Eric by the shirt front.

"What happened back there? Spill it!" he barked bluntly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Eric said, removing Brass' hand to smooth the wadded fabric.

"You're still a friend at the moment, so don't feed me a line of bull! First, you don't know the way to the lodge. Second, you put something in Iris' drink, I saw you," Jim said with a dangerous shark's smile.

Eric locked eyes with Brass. He was busted and knew it.

"What'd you spike her drink with?" Brass demanded angrily.

"A roofie…it was a party favor…I was looking to pluck her…it was to relax her…make her have a fun time back at my hotel room. She'd of been none the worse for wear, promise," Eric admitted with a guilty look.

"A roofie? Dammit to hell, I told you to steer clear of these ladies, Eric, so why Iris? You can have your pick of women, dumb ass!" Jim railed at him.

"I saw the other two were spoken for like you said but Iris isn't and I like a challenge," Eric said arrogantly.

"A challenge? Listen, you prick, this woman fences with a sword and could make mincemeat of your Oscar Mayer there like Zorro in five seconds flat," Jim snorted, pointing at Eric's crotch.

"Look, I did something stupid, so you gonna arrest me? I don't think your jurisdiction extends this far!" Eric's brief arrogant façade now evaporated somewhat as he resorted to sarcasm.

Brass glared at him for several moments; let the ass wipe squirm, he thought with satisfaction.

"Here's the deal. You stay the hell away from Iris for the rest of the time we're here and I'll be watching you like a hawk. Come Sunday you fly us home and we'll keep this between you and me," Jim said flatly.

"Yeah, absolutely," Eric said and extended his hand to shake.

"Don't push it, Eric," Jim said and kept his hands at his sides.

"See you Sunday then," Eric said and melted into the carnival crowd.

. . . . .

Iris watched the couples dancing with her head on folded hands and felt envious. She was pleased to see that Hodges was sharing more than one dance with a lovely auburn-haired petite lady. How well they all moved together and here she sat solo she thought morosely and then chided herself for giving in to such a pity party. Eric was gone at least and for that she was grateful to Brass who had a sure hand in that she had no doubt.

As if on cue, Jim plopped into the chair beside her. She sat up quickly to make him assume she was feeling better while inside she felt she was on one of the nearby carnival tilt-a-whirls.

"How are we feeling?" Jim inquired and looked her over closely.

"Just dandy," Iris stated firmly.

He touched her forehead with the back of his hand and then her cheek. "You're not a good liar, you know."

"Honestly, Jim, I'm fine. I'm just taking it easy until everyone's ready to go back to the lodge," Iris insisted petulantly.

"That could be a few hours judging from the pairing up going on out there, so I think it best to get you back there now," Jim reasoned.

"No, I'm waiting," Iris declined with a toss of her head.

"Too late, doll, Gil slipped me the keys a few minutes ago. As soon as you're settled, I'll come back," Jim wouldn't be denied and pulled her to her feet. "Your chariot awaits, milady."

Grissom still slow danced with Sara while he watched as Brass took Iris toward where the Excursion was parked. Sara looked up and saw his owl-like intense gaze Iris had coined the term "Grissomish" for that the rest of the team also used when he looked that way.

"What're you thinking, Griss?" Sara murmured before planting a kiss against his neck in one of his more sensitive spots she knew.

She heard him groan softly and hold her more tightly before he cryptically replied, "Just considering how things are developing."

. . . .

Iris was still woozy from the effects of the roofie as she leaned against Brass while they walked up the lodge's front door. Brass had to admire her for the fact she was queasy but hadn't had him pull over. Most women would've been yakking every few minutes. Jim slipped an arm around her waist to help steady her as they carefully went up the stairs. Once in the loft room, Jim steered her to the chest of drawers.

"Get your stuff you sleep in," he instructed her.

"What if I said I sleep in the buff?" Iris said straight-faced.

Jim was thunderstruck at that notion, he was wordless and his usually sharp mind failed to come up with one of his noteworthy one-liners.

Iris took his silence to mean he couldn't begin to conceive of her in such a state. "Don't worry, I don't sleep walk so you don't have to fear beholding something that would send you screaming into the night."

"It's not that…," Brass started to say.

"Forget it! Church chicks are too goody-goody, right?" Iris interrupted him with a sharp retort.

"I think you need to get some rest," Jim said neutrally.

Iris wobbled a bit but pushed Jim's hand away as he meant to steady her. She opened a drawer, pulled out her sleepwear and slammed the drawer shut. Slow steps got her to the bathroom as Jim patiently waited on her. He heard water running briefly and soft splashes behind the door. She came out wrapped tightly in a short lavender terrycloth robe with a severely knotted sash. Jim had turned down the covers on her bed and she slipped beneath them without comment and not removing the robe.

Brass sat down on a corner of the full-size bed, grinned at her and joked, "A guy wouldn't stand a chance of gettin' through that Fort Knox of a robe now could he?"

"No guy would who's just looking for a quick piece of action!" she snapped and saw his grin vanish. Her eyes widened at her biting retort which was atypical for her. Her shoulders slumped as she added contritely. "Look, I'm sorry for acting like an ingrate and getting huffy."

Brass said nothing but cleared his throat. It was an awkward moment for them which was rare. Brass liked to excel at trying to fluster Iris and with the variety of cases she'd along side him as a CSI in Vegas she'd seen a good deal more than when she'd worked in Dallas. She bore it all with her own humor which he'd found to dry and witty, usually quick to play on words and her rare zingers had left him chuckling on more than one occasion.

"You didn't have to drive me here, but you need to get back to the festival. You're sure to find company like the others have today," she said looking up at him after taking off her glasses to put on the night stand. This way she couldn't see how he reacted and had to rely on how his voice sounded.

"Be that as it may I did have to make sure you were okay so I'm looking out for you. You'll probably be asleep by the time we get back so get some Z's," Jim ordered with a dry chuckle.

"Thank you being my knight in shining armor tonight, Jim, but what did Eric do anyway?" Iris stifled a yawn.

"The genius put a roofie in your drink so he could get lucky with you," Jim minced no words before continuing. "Once we're back in Vegas, I'm quits with the loser. He's no friend of mine."

"Get lucky with me? He'll never know the privilege of having tasted my passionate side," Iris was incredulous but her tone was matter of fact.

"I don't think a roofie would be needed to bring that out in you," Brass declared.

"Why, Jim, are you flirting with me?" Iris said through lowered lashes.

"Uh, well, I better get going," Brass changed the subject nervously and stood with alacrity.

"Don't worry, Jim, I wasn't making a play for you. Good hunting back at the festival. Drive safe," Iris said quietly and turned over in the bed to burrow beneath the covers still in her robe.

Brass exited the room quietly and shut the door. He sighed heavily as he headed downstairs. He wasn't sure what was causing the two of them to still nip at each other. Good hunting at the festival she'd said so he decided to heed that directive.

In the Excursion as he headed back to Truckee, he saw a vehicle coming up the other side of the road and it honked wildly at him. There were other time-share properties on the same road as the lodge so it was probably fellow vacationers Brass reasoned and honked amiably back.

He turned on the radio and Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" was playing. While he wasn't a big fan of MJ's later music post 70's since he was partial to the Motown sound, it was a tune he made an exception for and found himself mouthing the words as he got into the song. His thumb kept time to the drum beat on the steering wheel. He was at a stoplight now in Truckee and found himself glancing up at the rearview mirror and staring hard. The lyrics were about changing…could something happen here for him he wondered? He'd come wanting to meet someone and have a whirlwind encounter to spend pleasant company with and perhaps something more.

. . . . .

Grissom saw Brass coming back to the dance floor and seat himself at a table while he and Sara slow danced to the Vintage Vibes male singer doing a rendition of Frank Sinatra's "_As Time Goes By_." He looked around the floor and saw the rest of the team were swaying couples moving as one: Catherine was lost in Warrick's green eyes; Ecklie had Toreth's cheek pressed to his; Greg and Dee were stealing kisses when they could; Nick was nose to nose with Alicia and oblivious to everything else around him; Hodges was talking to a younger woman with bright pink upper hair and black lower hair and the wisps of conversation Grissom had heard was related to sci-fi, but Hodges hadn't danced with anyone.

When the song was over, he and Sara joined Brass. "How's Iris?"

"Oh, after she ripped me a new one, I suspect she'll be able to sleep like a baby now," Brass grumbled.

"What'd you say that could cause her to go off because I don't see her starting a fight with you?" Sara challenged.

"Right, you women are quick to close ranks but trust me she doesn't walk on water. Can you believe she got touchy with me because I casually said how could a guy get into her robe that was tied up like Fort Knox?" Brass replied in disbelief.

"Uh oh," Sara laughed.

"What'd I do?" Brass growled defensively. "Gil, you wanna weigh in on this?"

"You and Iris are generally very amiable together, but did you consider the idea she may have wanted you to stay with her?" Grissom proposed.

"Iris…and me…like in…you know, like you and the others out there dancing and I can see where this could be going later?" Brass inquired with dismay before he added. "No way! I wasn't getting those signals at all and believe you me I know when a woman's wanting my company overnight. Hell, the last thing she told me was to get back here and have good hunting!"

"Brass, don't get your boxers or whatever you might wear in a wad! Iris is the first to say she couldn't come on to a guy if her life depended on it," Sara was cracking up now much to Brass' displeasure.

"It ain't happening," Brass assured her.

"Are you saying she's not worthy as you put it of your overnight company?" Sara now bristled, ready to come to Iris' defense.

"Settle down," Gil put an arm around Sara whose brown eyes still flashed at Brass.

"I'm saying I hadn't considered Iris in that way," Brass tried to placate Sara. "Now I see an unattended busty redhead over there who may need some of the 'ol Brass charm laid on her."

"I hope he strikes out swinging," Sara fumed as Brass casually strolled over in the direction of his potential quarry.

"I agree it sucks Iris has to be back at the lodge after getting sick but I do like the baseball reference. Come on, dance with me," Grissom coaxed her back into his arms where he sought to refocus her attention on him.

. . . . .

At midnight the Truckee Fourth Festival shut down and Grissom was waiting with Sara for everyone to show back up so they could head to the lodge in the Excursions. He noted they had some extra guests apparently riding back with him and it made him wonder how the sleeping arrangements would hold up. Dee held a small overnight case and was laughing hysterically at Greg as he sported the wig she'd used to look like Rosemary Clooney earlier while he made exaggerated moves with his arms mimicking her singing. His antics were amusing the rest of them as the Greg of old did. Nick seemed to be duct taped to Alicia with a hand slid into the back pocket of her form-fitting jeans. Catherine was enjoying Warrick's draped arm over her shoulders. Ecklie was nowhere to be found and speculation was he and Toreth had discretely called it a night to be together elsewhere. Only Hodges and Brass were minus female company and Grissom felt Hodges was by choice as he pined for Wendy. Jim's efforts to win points with the bosomy redhead he'd zoned in on were negative - zip, nada, bupkis. His mood was a bit sour at seeing how he was returning to the lodge with an empty net as Eric had termed it earlier. He thankfully hadn't seen the randy pilot since he'd told him to make himself scarce.

"I think we've waited a reasonable amount of time. Ecklie's no doubt with the company he's chosen for the night. Let's load up," Grissom ordered.

The way back to the lodge in each vehicle was raucous as everyone had had some alcohol intake and it made for a jovial atmosphere. Both vehicles unloaded quickly and as Hodges brought up the rear he was envious of the twosomes he saw ahead of him, with the exception of Brass who'd had to endure good-natured ribbing from Catherine. The senior CSI had observed his attempts at pitching woo to a well-endowed dark auburn-haired woman who in turn had only eyes for Hodges. Hodges had had to think quickly and come up with an excuse that he was waiting on his girlfriend to beam to his coordinates. The woman had given him a scathing look, called him a nut case and quickly set her sights on someone else besides Brass. Jim had given him dark looks initially when they started to head back but his frequent sips from a silver flask all evening he carried had taken effect. His mood was significantly mellower upon arrival to the lodge much to Hodges' relief. Brass was one who's deep do-do list he never wanted to be on.

Jim had to admit it had been a pretty active day for him and he just wanted to hit the bed and zonk out. If Ecklie was coming back late that was fine because he'd be dead to the world by then or he had to consider the alternative that Ecklie might be gone all night given how quickly he and Toreth had gotten cozy. Brass let a mirthless chuckle go. Even Hodges' line had gotten a bite while Jim's baited hook went untouched. It just wasn't right he concluded. He noted some quick discussions going on amongst the couples and discerned it was related to sleeping arrangements. Grissom finally held his hand up for order.

"Here's what I propose and I don't think anyone will argue with my logic. Sara can stay with me. Warrick you take Sara's spot with Catherine. Nick's guest can take Warrick's place. Brass and Ecklie's arrangement stands pat. Hodges and Greg…now we have a problem," Grissom frowned.

"I have a solution," Dee offered. "I've got friends who have a cottage literally across the road. They're gone out of the country and I've been floating between their place and mine to housesit. Greg's welcome to stay with me."

"Give me a sec!" Greg nearly whooped and rushed upstairs to the room he and Hodges were now obviously not going to share tonight.

"I think you're bringing the old Greg back," Sara said to Dee. "He's been missed."

"The old Greg?" Dee said with a quizzical look.

"He'll have to tell you and I'm sure with you he won't hold anything back," Catherine remarked.

"I'll take that as a compliment?" Dee replied with an arched brow.

"Absolutely," Sara nodded.

Greg was back, bounding down the stairs two at a time with his duffle bag and causing much amusement in the process.

"You'll be over for breakfast, right? Iris is cooking," Grissom reminded him.

"Yeah, you kidding me? I never miss her spreads. Dee and I'll be here around 7:30 or so," Greg promised as Dee linked hands with him.

"You two behave yourselves now," Catherine admonished before they left.

"Bro, she's going to wear the boy out," Warrick grinned and high-fived Nick.

"Who says Greg'll be the only boy getting worn out," Catherine returned as Warrick hushed her with a fast kiss. Sara said nothing but couldn't help but smile as Grissom's hand found hers, his fingers tracing patterns in her palm.

The rest of them quickly made the room adjustments and doors were shutting for the night as Brass was the last to head to the room he was to share with Ecklie. He just wanted to sleep and not hear Ecklie gloat at finding Toreth. His hand closed on the doorknob and he started to enter the darkened room when he heard muffled moans and bedsprings…well…springing.

"Uh oh," Jim muttered and tried to announce his presence with a discrete but sharp knock on the door before hitting the light switch for the lamp by the door.

Ecklie's head struck the headboard of the bed as he yelped in pain and a feminine voice of "ouch" was heard as Ecklie tried his utmost to casually stand with a sheet wrapped around his below belly button region and block Brass' view. "Hi, Jim."

Toreth's face slowly emerged from under the covers, haloed in a sunny cloud of yellow tousled hair. "Hello."

"Conrad…uh…it doesn't sound and I mean that the right way like I'm bunking in here tonight," Jim said straight-faced.

"Sorry, Jim, we just came back here for me to get a change of clothes and toiletry items. We saw you driving back and tried to get your attention but you just waved. You couldn't have known it was us. But when we got here and…well…one thing lead to another and another and…" Ecklie said sheepishly.

"Yeah, I got that impression," Brass tried his best to sound bland and not envious. "Look, let me just get my stuff out, okay? I think you kids are going to be here for the duration. I'm guessing correctly, right?"

"Yes, Toreth's mother is visiting her and, uh, overnight company would be awkward. Thanks for understanding, Jim," Ecklie said and his sincerity was clear for once to Brass.

Brass packed all his gear as quickly as he could and then lugged his suitcase out into the hallway. The door was barely closed when he could hear Ecklie and Toreth pick up where they left off. He'd had to endure Toreth's brief look of sympathy at him telling Ecklie he'd returned alone. It was just the first night he told himself and he had a full two days ahead to remedy his solo status. He saw the other closed doors and weighed his options. Hodges? No and hell no. Iris? A flash of pride surged through him. They hadn't parted on good terms and he'd be hanged if he was going to beg her. Plus it was only a full-size bed and he liked room where he slept. The couch in the living/recreation area was probably a sleeper he reasoned. Grumbling under his breath, he stopped long enough to get sheets, a pillow and a blanket from the hallway linen closet before heading downstairs, trying to ignore the sounds of amorous activity in the other bedrooms.

. . . . .

Iris woke up and felt her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth. She turned to check the time of 1:30 a.m. She groaned and stretched. "I feel like I've pulled through a knothole." She went to the bathroom and rinsed out her mouth.

Apple juice sounded good and Iris put on the robe Jim had teased her about. Fort Knox he'd said? She wondered if his hunting had been fruitful and she regretted again being hard on her friend. It wasn't like her she knew and she hoped she could patch things up with Brass somehow.

Walking silently up the hallway, she heard snoring from Hodges and Greg's room but the sounds coming from the other rooms told her the occupants were far from sleeping. Iris wasn't a prude nor was she a voyeur and it hastened her steps down the stairs to gain a discrete distance from the activities in progress upstairs.

Padding by the living area on her way to the open kitchen, she heard a muffled curse and spied someone restlessly turning on the couch. Her curiosity got the better of her and she walked over to turn on a nearby lamp. The figure sat up with an angry and decidedly masculine, "Hey what gives!"

"Jim?" Iris gasped.

"Yeah, so?" Jim was irritable from sleep deprivation.

"What're you doing down here? I walked by your room and I heard, uh, well I heard, um, I mean…," Iris' voice trailed off.

"You heard Ecklie having the time of his life," Brass finished for her bluntly.

"Why not you?" Iris sat on the other end of the couch.

"You must've jinxed me because I couldn't get friendly even with a comatose woman tonight or I guess its last night now," Brass tried to joke.

"Ah, no room at the inn," Iris smiled slightly.

"Yeah and this couch is comfy to sit on but it's not a sleeper that's for damn sure," Jim griped.

"Well, there's only one thing to do here," Iris said and moved closer to him, "and that's for you to come upstairs to stay with me."

"As in **we're** gonna share the same bed?" Brass laughed sarcastically in her face.

"Look, can we call a truce here?" Iris pleaded with palms turned up in a gesture of surrender. "I don't want to have us clashing all weekend. Let's bury the hatchet and have fun while we're here, okay?"

"Okay, are you apologizing for that stunt you pulled of pushing me into the duck pond?" Jim asked with folded arms.

"Yes, I'm genuinely sorry for that," Iris replied contritely. "Now how about apologizing for your comments about my belief in God?"

Iris waited patiently while Brass remained mute and looking disinterestedly at the floor. She became irritated and took his pillow and clobbered him in the chest with it. "You…you…oh, why waste my breath let alone energy!"

Brass' shocked look at her action begged for an equal reaction as he seized a couch pillow and belted her back in the tummy. His shark's smile goaded her further as he challenged, "It's on, Iris!"

A fierce pillow fight ensued between them, Iris giving Brass as good as he gave her. That is until Iris scored a direct hit near Brass' man land and he decided enough was enough. No way was he taking another shot south of the belt buckle. He rushed her in a tackle and pinned her on the couch in what could be interpreted as a truly compromising position if they were happened upon by someone else. Iris was flat on her back with Brass comfortably nestled on top of her, his hips to her hips, her legs ridiculously splayed between his own, his torso resting on hers, and his lips outrageously close to hers.

"I win," he said simply. "Come on, say uncle."

"That's relative…let me up," she sputtered angrily, her face scarlet as she twisted to try and evade him but her efforts were in vain.

"Not until I've had my say, kitten," Brass said amiably. "You took my crap pretty well but I gotta come clean. I don't have a problem with your beliefs because mine are pretty close to yours. I'm just more private about it. My priest doesn't look forward to my confessions. With what happened at the duck pond, I was mad and looking to make you as angry as I could."

Iris was still wiggling but said in a tight voice, "Go on, I have to hear you out it seems."

Jim smiled at her efforts to buck him off. "I should've said what if I told you to stop going to church and there was no God, but how I said it originally did PO you big time. I have to push suspects during questioning and say what I have to. I'd expect you to know that by now. I'm sorry I ticked you off. Bottom line, babe, I do believe, always have. I survived being shot when I wasn't expected to pull through. I even had one of these whatcha call near-death experiences. No one can tell me there isn't more than this life."

Iris stopped struggling and spent several moments looking into those intense blue eyes before cautiously replying. "Apology accepted. You're Catholic."

"Yeah, does that count against me?" Jim's left eyebrow cocked at her.

"No, not at all, I'm Protestant myself," Iris said, unable to break her gaze from his intense blue eyes.

"Iris, you never told anyone how comfortable you are to lie on," Brass made no move to alter his position of how he rested on her and Iris began to feel "atomic tummiflies" as she called the fluttering sensation deep inside.

"Uh, so do we have a truce and agreement in the sleeping arrangement?" Iris said as calmly as possible to not reveal her nervousness.

"Remember how you said I'd never share your bed," Brass reminded her in a gruff whisper dangerously close to one cheek.

"Yes, well, this is a platonic not sexual arrangement. There's a clear difference. You can say I'm doing this an act of charity and gratitude for you helping rid me of Eric. So my original statement remains accurate," Iris declared softly near his cheek.

"This should be interesting," Brass smiled and eased his weight off of her.

Entering the loft room, Brass could see why Iris had been so willing to take it. There was an informal intimacy in the simple décor and having its own full bathroom that reminded him of an efficiency apartment. Iris showed him empty drawers he could place his clothes in or hang up in the closet as he opened his suitcase on the bed. He then put his clean up items in the bathroom, noting pleasantly Iris was as neat as he would be. Iris left the room to hit up the linen closet for extra towels as he encountered her returning to the room.

"You'll need your own," she said simply and handed them to him. "Which side do you prefer?"

"Huh?"

"Which side of the bed do you like to sleep on?"

"Well, which side do you like to sleep on?"

"You're my guest and I'd like you to have your preference."

"Okay, I like the right side."

"There that wasn't painful now was it?"

He knew Iris was teasing him and made a sour face at her. Brass went into the bathroom to place the towels and took with him what he slept in. He emerged from a few minutes later shirtless and in boxers. He discretely noted Iris was no longer wearing the robe he'd dubbed Fort Knox and she was clad in a purple baby doll silk pajama top with shoulder ties. She surreptitiously observed his only wearing boxers but kept a neutral expression while setting the clock radio and felt the mattress sag as Brass sat on the other side. To her surprise, she felt her pulse quicken and the atomic tummiflies return in abundance. She chided herself at her biological and physiologic responses to the prospect of sharing a bed with a man and not just any man but Jim Brass. False alarm she told her physical self sternly. She removed her glasses and placed them on the nightstand.

Brass turned to lie down and as he liked sleeping on his left rolled to that side. Iris preferred sleeping on her right and likewise rolled to that side. They both found themselves staring into one another's eyes. Iris had rarely seen Brass in anything less than a full shirt, except for a few instances where he'd have his jacket off. His now shirtless state boasted a furry chest which was, she'd never admit to anyone, a very pleasant sight to her and something she genuinely found attractive in the opposite sex. Her eyes were drawn to the tattoo on his right upper arm. It looked like a circular blue snowflake with radiating arms to it and inside was the name Snow.

She decided to strike up a brief conversation before the exchange of good nights. "I didn't know you were inked."

"Yeah, I am," Brass replied.

"Can I ask what the name Snow means?" Iris queried.

He seemed to wince inwardly at hearing the name and rubbed at the image, Iris fearing she asked something that elicited a painful memory, said quickly, "I'm sorry – that's really none of my business."

"Naw, Iris, its okay. Just takes me way back. I was a patrol cop with my first rookie in training. You kind of remind me of her. She had a wide-eyed innocence about the world and wanted to make it a better place by being a cop," Brass' eyes took on a distant quality as memories flooded them.

"Her name was Snow?" Iris considered, looking again at the tattoo.

"No, it was Lisa…Lisa Snowden…I called her Snow for short. We were answering a 417 (family disturbance) call and found a guy'd just beat the crap out of his wife. He was holding her hostage on the porch and waving a shotgun. Kids were crying inside the house. I was trying to talk to him and Lisa decided to step from behind the squad car door where I'd told her to stay put no matter what. I guess she figured he'd reason with her better than me. Without blinking an eye, he shot her and she took it full in the chest. I returned fire and winged him. I called officer down…ambulance was there fast…she died on the way to University Hospital. I got this tattoo as a memorial to her," Brass still rubbed absently at the blue circle with its radiating arms. "You know, I've got another one."

"Oh, where?" Iris' eyes followed his left index finger to a circular puckered scar in his right upper chest that was a bit hard to see due to his chest hair.

"It's May 11, 2006, for when I got shot," Brass stated and he went on to tell her of trying to negotiate for the safe release of the female hostage held by Willie Cutler only to be shot by an armor-piercing bullet as police stormed the hotel room door. In spite of his wearing a bullet-proof vest, he sustained a serious gunshot wound that pierced his lung. He spoke of how the CSI team had rallied around him and the pain of seeing Ellie so briefly followed by the knowledge she showed up to see what his pension was worth and if she stood to gain anything financially. It'd been touch and go but he pulled through. She'd heard details from other team members but appreciated hearing it from him first hand.

"I'm a tough 'ol bastard…too mean to die," he finished with a wry grin.

Iris reached over and gently traced the outline of the blue cross as her fingers then traveled down his chest to do the same with that of the tattooed date. It was an innocent gesture and Brass felt an almost pleasant shock at the contact of her fingers on his skin. She looked up at him again and he saw the warmth in her eyes that also filled with…no way…tears…for him? "I'm so glad you're still here. I think the world would be pretty boring without you in it."

"So you do have a soft spot for me in there somewhere," Jim teased slyly.

Iris colored at that and tried to downplay his comment and shift the subject. "I'd say the same to any of my friends. Hey, we have to agree on a truce! I'm sorry you returned without company."

Her tactic seemed to work as Brass pursued this new line of conversation. He replied with a tone of irony, "There's still two days left. Tell me would you have come back here with Eric?"

"No, not a chance, I'd rather be alone for the right reason than with someone for the wrong…like with David…don't need the hat and T-shirt twice," Iris sighed and continued. "I guess that's why I'm still solo but I'm still surprised you came back alone."

"David's your ex…I mean you're his widow," Brass said haltingly as Iris nodded. "But why're you surprised I'm minus company as you say?"

"Easy. You're a red hot blooded American male and some gal out there missed out on the chance to be with you," Iris clarified.

"Ha, so just who'd miss out?" Brass joked self-deprecatingly.

"Any woman who can't see your qualities is blind as a bat, like me without my glasses," Iris declared so seriously it made Jim chuckle. "We'd better get what sleep we can. I have to be up earlier to make breakfast. Tell me what you like in advance and I'll be sure to have extra made for you."

"I'll like whatever you make. You always make sure I'm included on the spreads you've done at the lab. I'm the envy of the other homicide detectives because I get an inside track to eat with Gil's team. It's good to be the king," Jim grinned.

"Okay, you get first dibs. G'night, Jim," Iris yawned in earnest while Jim turned out the light.

"G'night, Iris," he said into the dark, feeling a bit uncertain of himself.

As if she sensed this, Iris reached over to pat his arm encouragingly before they both fell asleep soon after.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

The clock alarm was on Jim's side of the bed and its low-pitched buzz was merciless. Brass awoke with difficulty and was going to move to shut it off when he encountered another body and recalled again he wasn't alone. Iris was snuggled against him as if she'd been there with him each morning for years and it seemed just as natural that her left arm rested on his abdomen as he watched it rise and fall with his breaths. He smiled at seeing her fine hair sticking up every which way, especially in the middle like a Mohawk. She'd never live it down if he teased her about it. Jim now saw that her hand lay just above the waist band of his boxers, dangerously close to what happens to a man first thing in the morning. Brass found himself to be stunned by the pleasant realization he found he liked having her there at that moment.

The clock's incessant buzzing finally penetrated Iris' last layer of consciousness and her eyes fluttered open, the eyelashes tickling Brass' neck where her face had been pressed. The realization of where she was positioned in relation to Brass startled her. She gazed up into amused blue eyes. "Uh, sorry, I must've gotten cold during the night."

Liar! Her heart laughed at her brain's attempted reasoning.

"Comfortable? Sleep well?" Jim asked and raised himself up on one elbow.

"Yeah, I slept like a rock," Iris answered, trying to sound casual.

Brass spontaneously leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Good morning."

"Good morning. Uh, what was that for?" Iris wondered why she felt like little firecrackers were going off in her stomach.

"To say thanks for letting me stay. You felt sorry for me, right, or do we start letting those red hot rumors about us get rooted in fact?" Jim said with a suggestive grin and pinned her similarly to how he had on the couch.

"What red hot rumors?" Iris gasped.

"Oh, I've got some great ones in mind," Jim whispered gruffly.

Iris went pale and wiggled away from him. "Uh, I've got breakfast to make, excuse me!" With that, she sprinted from the bed and grabbed a change of clothes she'd set out earlier and dashed to the bathroom and shut the door behind her. She heard Brass' baritone laughter before she turned on the shower to drown it out. What was he up to?

Jim hit the snooze alarm and rolled over in bed to seize a little sleep. Yeah, he'd gotten her again but at the same time how long had it been since he'd woken up with a woman? True, too long, but this morning was different. He'd liked seeing how guileless she looked in her sleep, wondering what her dreamy smile was about and half hoping against hope he had a part in it somehow.

Iris emerged from the bathroom to see Brass snoring away in, dare she think it, their bed. She envied his being able to sleep in, however, her word was her bond and this big breakfast wasn't going to make itself. Her face softened as she watched him sleep for several moments. The lines of his face were relaxed and though Time had placed its stamp, she'd always found his face appealing for the character it showed. Such knowledge she'd kept only to herself lest any coworker get the wrong idea, the most recent being that waking up next to him was like being nestled against a big teddy bear. She'd felt safe and secure, not embarrassed or dismayed. His snores had a put-put motorboat quality and the way his cheeks blew in and out while his nostrils flared was comical. Iris pulled the covers back up on him and gave his shoulder a patting caress. She leaned down and returned the kiss Brass had given her to one cheek, making it the type a mother gives a sleeping child, one feather soft and reassuring. He made a loud smacking noise that caused her to grin before she stole from the room. As the door shut, Brass opened one eye...

. . . . .

Grissom was one of the last ones to the table where he heard bantering as well as smelling aromas of a breakfast feast his taste buds were demanding to sample. He and Sara had made full use of the spacious shower but in other ways of putting new meaning to the saying of "good clean fun." He could only hope that no one was passing by their room at the time as Sara could be, well, very vocal.

He took a seat beside Brass and took a quick glance at the other faces. Greg and Dee had made it. If Greg's cheerful countenance was a sure indicator, then Grissom had to think that his well-rounded companion had put the "Greg" back in gregarious. Catherine was slowly feeding Warrick a strawberry. Nick's expansive grin was from some unknown comment being whispered into his ear by Alicia. Toreth was listening to Ecklie having a lively disagreement with Hodges over a recent case where Hodges' chemical assessment had been critical to the case's outcome, but Ecklie had been openly critical of the time Hodges had devoted to his analysis. Sara had insisted on helping Iris by dispensing plates of food and Grissom secretly hoped observing Iris cook might rub off on the dark-haired CSI. Sara was an excellent criminalist but her culinary talents could do with some mentoring.

"Sara, whatever's up, I'll take a helping of," Grissom requested as she came to fill his coffee cup.

Greg had generously surprised Iris with a container of his Blue Hawaiian coffee that he'd brought and those who had to have daily java were hitting the coffeemaker hard. The team was in agreement that the break room back at the crime lab needed to be kept stocked with it.

"Kiss my grits, Griss," Sara laughed at him as she bent to pour the coffee.

"I already did and more than once if you'll recall," Grissom told her soto voce as Sara flushed at the memory his response gave her.

"Hey, you okay?" Greg asked, seeing the sudden bright pink of Sara's face.

"Yeah, just took a bad step and nearly poured coffee in Griss' lap," Sara fibbed convincingly while her eyes shot barbs at Grissom.

"That'd be getting your Joe the hard way," Brass winced. "Iris, I want some more of that hash brown casserole before it's gone."

"Sara, you've been dishing it out, take a load off," Iris ordered. "This plate's just for you – a vegetarian breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs and beans."

"Aw, Iris, I appreciate that," Sara beamed at her, knowing Iris was always considerate of her diet choice. She handed Brass another plate with the hash brown casserole that Iris had quickly fixed up.

Grissom was given a heaping plate of what the rest had been enjoying: scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy, hash brown casserole and French toast. He put himself in caloric denial mode and had at it. Sara stole part of his casserole for herself to enjoy.

Hodges wanted to break away from the impasse he had with Ecklie and took the opportunity to generate conversation in a different direction. "So Grissom what's on the books for our second day of the retreat besides getting to sample my radical brownies?"

Between bites Grissom replied, "Radical, eh? Jim and I will be leaving to get things ready for the Paradise Shores Beach on Lake Donner. Everyone bring changes of clothes to include swim wear for a day of beach fun and then we're going on to Truckee for the festival activities. We don't plan to be back until later tonight after the fireworks show."

Iris' eyes took on a hooded look at what Grissom said and Brass noted it silently, still wondering about the significance of her cryptic phrase of "dance with me beneath the dragon's breath and all will be made known."

"How long we gonna be gone, Gil?" Brass asked as he relished the last of the hash brown casserole.

"I think about 90 minutes. Isn't that long enough for you and your protégé Hodges to get the picnic chow done?" Grissom said, seeing Hodges brighten at being deemed a protégé.

"Ample," Iris replied, nudging Hodges toward the sink area. "Come on, protégé, first assignment is clearing the table and dishwasher patrol!"

"What can we help with? You shouldn't have to do it all, Iris!" Catherine asked.

"Well, you could work on the cole slaw and baked beans. Sara could get the macaroni salad going and do rolls. I can focus on the fried chicken. Hodges can work on his magic brownies. I know Dee, Alicia and Toreth will be rejoining us at the lake. Do you guys want to help?" Iris delegated duties and shifted her gaze to where the men stood.

"Uh, actually, we talked about it and thought we'd tag along with Griss and Brass. We had some ideas of…um…aquatic activities to put by him," Warrick said while Nick, Greg and Ecklie nodded animatedly as one.

Catherine lifted an eyebrow at her fellow level 3 CSI. "Aquatic activities?"

"One word…bikini," Warrick grinned mysteriously.

"I'm driving Toreth and Alicia back to town. We'll catch you at the lake in two hours. Bikinis…oh, yeah!" Dee said slyly with her gaze directed at Greg.

"Okay, the aquatic activities committee is called to order as soon as we're in the SUV," Grissom broke in and pointed to the front door.

After the men had left, Iris gave Catherine and Sara a distressed look and said with a self-deprecating laugh, "Me in a bikini? For whose benefit? Crap, I'll have to shave my legs! No way!"

"Warrick's up to something and its monkey see monkey do where Nick's concerned. I sometimes think Nicky would jump off the top of the Luxor if Warrick said to," joked Catherine.

"Iris, I wouldn't fret about the bikini. I think you stand every chance to catch the eye of some guy," Sara put in as she helped Hodges get dishes off the table. "Hodges, don't you agree? We need a man's input here."

Hodges swallowed hard as he felt the scrutinizing gaze of the three CSI ladies on him. "I think…no, I **know** without a doubt that Iris will captivate some gentleman today with her charms."

Iris cocked her head at him before breaking into a loud chuckle. "Well, let's not keep the man of my dreams waiting."

. . . . .

On the way to the Excursion, Nick had seen Brass coming out of the loft room earlier on his way downstairs. He couldn't let this pass. "So, Brass man, where'd you end up last night?"

"What're you talking about?" Brass replied casually.

"Well, I happen to know Toreth and Ecklie were headed back here and I figured the way those two were behaving your chance of ending up in your planned bed was like rolling snake eyes," Nick drawled.

Brass cleared his throat before admitting, "You called it right. I ended up on the couch in the living area and, brother, I wouldn't wish my worst enemy that torture device. That couch may be comfy to sit on but sleeping on it sure ain't."

"You may have started on the couch but it's not where you ended up," Nick said smugly.

"Where's this going, Nick?" Brass was getting in a sour mood.

"I saw you leaving the loft room upstairs before you came down for breakfast," Nick volunteered.

Jim said nothing to give Nick any clues.

"Iris let you go up there? She wasn't drugged was she?" Nick guessed further.

"Ha, Ha, Stokes, no, she took pity on me," Brass was startled for a moment because of how close Nick's off the cuff speculation was, knowing he'd never let it be known Iris had indeed been drugged, so he merely added a dismissive snot with his response.

"So what's it like to wake up next to her?" Warrick wondered.

"Don't make her out to sound like she's easy, Brown, because you know she's not. I'd never take advantage or force my attentions where they weren't wanted! Any one of us would clobber the loser who tries to paint her otherwise," growled Brass with a warning finger at both of them.

"Yeah, especially Donaldson on swing shift, remember how he asked her out not long after she came to the team? He's always on the prowl and thought Iris would be easy pickings, then having the 'nads to invite her to go on a buck naked skydiving jump," Warrick said and began to crack up.

"We happened to be there with our classy Iris when he asked and she declined his invite. She went on to say without missing a beat that he should stuff his parachute in its entirety within the orifice noted immediately subjacent to the beginning of the partition of the cheeks of his gluteus maximus without benefit of any lubricant," Nick guffawed at the recollection.

"Damn, I'd sure pay to see that given Donaldson's so-called player rep," Brass agreed before he quietly added confidentially for their ears alone. "Okay, to answer you guys, it was nice of her to let me stay up there with her. Don't tell her I said this but she snores."

A horn blast interrupted further discussion as Grissom honked and leaned out of the Excursion's door to bang on it. "Hey! You done jawing? We need to get going!"

. . . . .

Rapid progress was made back at the lodge's kitchen. Catherine and Sara had finished quickly on the side items Iris had asked for help with, so they'd gone upstairs to get their lake wear together. Hodges was now working on the brownie mix and Iris was again scrutinizing the bag containing his herbal additives. "David, come on, tell me what constitutes the breakdown of your herbs here?"

Iris suddenly remembered an episode of "That 70's Show" that had "special brownies." The mere idea that Hodges would was preposterous and she berated herself for even considering it.

"It's a secret, Iris, but I came up it with after exhaustive research," Hodges explained. "My compilation of ingredients promises those who partake a unique eating experience on many levels."

"Meaning, as the saying goes, if you can't dazzle them with diamonds baffle them with bull hockey," Iris concluded with raised eyebrows. "Look, promise me this isn't going to result in anyone having an allergic reaction or getting high…I mean these ingredients are legal, right?"

Hodges had been folding the herbs carefully into one separate batch of brownie mix batter at that moment and her pointed question startled him, causing him to drop the mixing spoon on the floor. He quickly picked the spoon back up and tossed it in the sink to soak, removing another mixing spoon from a drawer. His chuckle sounded a tad nervous to Iris as he chided, "My dear Iris, each ingredient is a hundred percent organic in nature."

"Yeah, so for instance is pot," Iris muttered to herself.

"What?" Hodges said just before he turned on the electric mixer.

"I said you're giving it your best shot," Iris replied loudly over the humming of the mixer.

Hodges gave her a delighted smile.

. . . . .

At the Donner Lake Marina, Grissom had to admit Brass knew his stuff about boats. When Jim had seen the travel brochure for the lodge and its content about Donner Lake, he'd insisted on paying to rent a ski boat to take the team out for water skiing and tubing. Brass eased himself behind the wheel of the Supra Launch 24 SSV and relaxed in the seat. "Now, that's what I'm talkin' about, Gil! Its got a sixteen-passenger capacity that'll easily accommodate everyone!"

The marina shop also leased them a giant whale banana tube boat, two wave boards, and four pairs of water skis.

"Would you object if we also rented a couple of jet skis?" Nick asked Grissom.

"For what purpose?" Grissom was curious.

"Um, well, to go explore other parts of the lake if one wanted to," Nick was too casual to Grissom's ear.

"Nick, I'm not convinced," Grissom shook his head to decline the Texan's request.

"Griss, look, if your lady's mood is just so but you're in a group, an alternative method of transport to a private port of intimacy is what I think Nick's trying to articulate," Warrick came to his friend's rescue.

"He said it a lot better than I could've, boss. It's just last night with Alicia was incredible…she's got this one belly dancing move…," Nick admitted with a sheepish grin and started to imitate it.

"TMI!" Grissom interrupted with frantic waving hands. "How about this for a compromise? Two jet skis kept at the beach during the picnic and if the need for speed arises, then a discrete exit is approved but you have to be back before we leave for the festival."

"Nick's idea works for me," Greg said supportively.

"Stokes is thinking out loud for all of us men I think," Ecklie interjected.

"I'm down with that," Warrick agreed.

"You see potential for carrying Catherine off?" Nick chuckled.

"I've got the boy scout philosophy of always being prepared," Warrick shrugged.

"You kids can have your little water toys, but this bad boy is going to snag some sweet senorita with this," Brass boasted, running his hand admiringly on the rail of the boat. "I'm gonna get some clothes from the marina gift shop. I didn't really bring the right stuff."

Grissom watched his friend go and gave an enigmatic smile to the other men. "I think the answer to his search is nearer than he thinks."

Greg's cell phone began to ring to the tune of Bad Company's "_Can't Get Enough of Your Love." _

"Do we even have to guess?" Nick kidded him.

"Uh, I downloaded it last night in the bathroom at the cottage while we kind of took a break," Greg said with a flustered hue to his face. "Can't help it, I'm a total Bad Company fan."

"Yeah, we all remember hearing your cell phone's "_Feel Like Making Love."_ I think she's good for you, man, bringing you out of that too serious side you've had the last couple years," Warrick recalled with a chuckle.

"Dee strikes me as truly _être plein de vie,_" Grissom remarked.

"Something French, right?" Greg guessed.

"Yes, I was saying she is full of life in more than one way," Grissom confirmed as Greg nodded.

"Wonder what Papa Olaf would say," Nick interjected.

"You're going to always remember how you went shopping for groceries, a lucky bump of your cart, and you came away with something entirely better," Ecklie quipped.

Brass returned laden with bags from the marina gift shop just in time for Grissom to announce it was time to head back to the lodge, but first Nick and Warrick would ride the jet skis with Brass following in the boat over to the Paradise Shores beach. They'd be picked up there by Grissom and then they'd return to the lodge.

. . . . .

Catherine spritzed on the cologne she knew Warrick to be very partial to and ran a hand through her hair as she looked into the bathroom mirror. A smile came to her lips as she looked back at the bed and memories of the first night they'd ever shared together. She'd wanted the pull between them to become real at some point and the vivid fantasies she'd had about their being together paled to what had happened last night. Warrick was everything she'd hoped for and more: tender, inventive, seeking her pleasure before his own, and their loving had her literally tearing down the walls.

Sara walked in and saw Catherine's smile. "Your face looks like the cat that ate the canary?"

Catherine looked her way smugly, "Oh, yeah, the cat ate very well and more than once, thanks."

"Grissom proved to be pretty rambunctious in the shower. Where he bought chocolate flavored shower gel I don't know," Sara chuckled.

"It's just a shame Iris didn't meet someone," Catherine sighed. "We're all getting to have a blast with who we each care about."

"You know she didn't seem really focused on that aspect. She seemed content with this being a team outing and being away from work with us. To her it's like a family getaway," Sara observed.

"I guess you have to have a designated driver for all situations and Iris is ours," Catherine decided and then held up two bikinis to get Sara's take. "Which bikini should I wear?"

"The hot pink one. They both cover about the same real estate," Sara recommended drily.

. . . . .

Brass came in first through the lodge door and smelled the aroma of brownies baking mixed other great smells from the kitchen. Hodges was leafing through a magazine as he maintained his watch. Jim went to the oven and took in a deep inhale of the scent. "Hodges, if these taste half as good as they smell, you may have another vocation."

"Iris supervised me so I can't go wrong. They should be ready to come out of the oven in about five minutes but no one can have any until after the picnic lunch," Hodges admonished.

"You're right. The woman sure knows her way around the kitchen," Jim agreed.

He was still reveling in the boat ride over to the beach dock. While he'd always wanted to have such a boat, the practical side won out and he was content with the 19-foot fish and ski boat he had back at his cabin on Lake Meade. He'd was sure his choices of wake boards and knee boards to go with the whale banana tube boat tube and water skis would allow everyone could have different types of water fun.

Iris walked in sniffing at the air. "David, one more minute and those brownies will be ready to come out. I've got foil for you wrap them up in to keep them moist and warm. Oh, hiya, Jim."

"Hey, Iris, so you ready to go on your man hunt at the beach?" Jim teased her.

"Yup, I hope to find Mr. Stud today and have some beach blanket fun," Iris replied with a roll of her eyes. "How about your bag-a-babe plans?"

"I'm coming back here tonight or staying elsewhere with the babe-to-be in question," Brass vowed.

"Hmm, I'm sure you'll be victorious," Iris said blandly.

Jim was wearing an unbuttoned short sleeve light blue-gray cotton shirt and he now flashed her to reveal the T-shirt he wore beneath. "You betcha, check this out!"

The shirt was emblazoned "Happiness Is A Nice Stiff One."

"Whaddya think? It's sure to attract attention," Jim grinned suggestively.

"Good to know…I mean for the benefit of the recipient you have in mind," Iris shrugged, not giving in to his efforts to embarrass her.

Jim peeled off the outer shirt and turned around so she could see the picture of a martini glass on the back of the T shirt. "See, double entendre, where you think one thing when it's really another."

"Touche, sir, thy rapier wit at its steely best," Iris bowed slightly with a hand flourish.

Iris' dry sense of humor placated him and his smug grin continued for several moments before his attention shifted to Grissom heading to the stairs. "Gil, I'm itching to get back to the boat, can we step it up?"

"I'll check upstairs and tell whoever's up there to get down here. I'm ready to get this day going too," Grissom agreed and gave Brass a friendly slap on the back. Both men were both getting a chance to truly relax and be away from the responsibilities of their respective jobs, so each appreciated this opportunity and wanted to make the most of it.

. . . . .

"Nick, don't you dare go near those brownies, they're initialed for each person! Hodges worked hard on those! I'll kick your butt!" Iris threatened with a spatula when she caught the tall Texan trying to sneak a brownie out of its foil-covered plate.

Nick feigned a hurt look before a wide grin took over. "Okay, Iris, it's just they smell soooo good."

"When we go to do the picnic after whatever these aquatic activities you and Warrick alluded to occur, then I'm sure you're appetite will be whetted by more than the brownie," Iris said cryptically.

"Oh, you mean Alicia?" Nick's grin expanded more.

"She's a fellow dancer and I admired her grace last night, but I get the impression you experienced moves of a different sort with her last night," Iris said in a blasé fashion as she retrieved containers of the picnic food from the refrigerator to get ready to take.

"Uh, well, you could say that," Nick stammered slightly.

"Don't fret, Nickers, I'm glad you met her," Iris reassured him an encouraging pat on his forearm. "Come on, make yourself useful and help me get this food out to the SUV."

"Warrick, bro, get back in there to keep the food brigade going!" Nick exclaimed as he and Iris came out to the Excursion with the first wave of covered dishes.

"On my way," he replied and fell into step with them to head back into the lodge.

In the kitchen, Hodges was working quickly with Sara and Catherine to finish readying the remaining food, drinks and other needed items to complete the required picnic manifest as Iris called it. While the last of the food was carried out by Nick and Warrick, Iris did a last-minute sweep of the kitchen to be sure they had everything.

"I think we're good to go," Iris pronounced as she followed Grissom out of the lodge.

. . . . . .

On the way to the beach, Nick's cell phone began to ring to John Mayer's _"I'm on Fire."_ He saw Grissom's eyebrows rise questioningly in the rear view mirror as he gave his boss a nervous grin. "Hey, Alicia!"

Ecklie's phone also rang on the heels of Nick's, the ring tone of Fleetwood Mac's _"You Make Loving Fun_."

Iris mouthed, "Toreth, I bet."

Ecklie's curt nod and contented look confirmed her assumption. "So you're with Dee and Alicia on the way to the beach? Marvelous. I can't wait either. See you soon."

"Our ladies are on the way?" Greg echoed. "Hey, Griss, Warrick had to stop back at the light!"

"I'll slow down, Greg," Grissom was the definition of serene.

"Backseat driver," Sara turned in her seat to fuss at Greg.

Iris glanced back to see that Warrick was on his way again. She wondered what was going on in the other Excursion and its occupants of Warrick, Catherine, Brass and Ecklie. Her own cell phone vibrated and when she saw the answering text it caused her to smile.

. . . . .

"So let me get this straight, Brown, you're doubling our gym bet if I come back to the lodge empty handed later on?" Jim asked in disbelief.

"Gym bet?" Catherine craned her neck at him.

"Just a little side wager," Warrick reassured her. "Brass man, you in?"

"Yeah, yeah, easy money and you know I don't welch," Jim said confidently.

Hodges stared outside as they passed the nearby Truckee square and a lonely sigh escaped him. Jim saw his somewhat morose expression and tried to encourage him. "Hodges, is the cure a blonde, redhead, brunette?"

Hodges managed a weak smile and replied in Velikon, "Keeper of the law you cannot grant my heart's wish."

Jim cocked an eyebrow at him, "Huh?"

"I take it you're not familiar with "Astro Quest"?" Hodges inquired.

"Not that sci-fi wannabe but if you want to discuss a real show that'd be "Star Trek," Brass countered. "Scotty's the best character in my book."

That opened up a lively discussion between the lab rat and the detective that lasted until they arrived at the beach.

. . . . .

Parking turned out to be optimum for the Excursions with an equal distance between the boat dock area and where the covered picnic was reserved for them. The food would keep for quite some in the refrigerated coolers and in the insulated food carriers. The gang was ready for "aquatic activities" to get underway. Everyone went to the change in the restrooms before meeting back at the dock. Iris was gawking at the boat when Brass walked up. He saw she was wearing jean cut-offs and a well-worn white T shirt for the 1999 Dallas Stars win of the Stanley Cup. Brass knew her passion for hockey and her favorite team. She also had on a khaki Stars ball cap to boot. He noted they were the first ones there.

"Size does matter, don't it," Jim quipped as he came up beside her while startling her at the same time.

Iris gave a snort as she replied, "It's not the size it's what you do with it."

"Point taken. You like the boat? I picked it out and get to be the skipper," Brass told her proudly.

"As always you know how to pick 'em. You have to drive the boat, Jim, because you're the only captain present," Iris winked at him and Jim's reward to his surprise was a brief hug from her just before the rest of group arrived.

"Yeah, you're right, good point," Jim agreed. Brass himself was wearing a ball cap stating "Get in, sit down, shut up and hold on" which Iris thought went just fine with his "Happiness Is A Stiff One" T shirt and he boarded the boat first. "I'm driving this mother so here's the one rule – have fun! We got a whale tube banana boat, knee and wave boards, and water skis. Ladies, board first!"

Catherine, Toreth, Alicia, Dee, Sara and Iris climbed the steps leading onto the boat. Iris went to the bow of the boat where two could sit and herself joined by Hodges. Her curious look caused him to inform her, "It makes sense we're the unattached folk here and Brass is in the driver's seat. I should warn you he will be looking high and low for his babe as he's calling this mystery lass."

"Ah, I dub her "Brass Lass" then," Iris intoned solemnly before breaking out in a chuckle.

Brass was seated and had turned on the boat ignition, listening to the growl of the motor with approval. He saw Iris laughing and Hodges look his way at the same time.

"What's so funny?" Jim demanded.

"You must have a name for your boat, Jim! It's bad luck to leave the dock without it," Iris replied, thinking quickly.

"It's a maritime law," Hodges added.

"Oh, so what should the name be?" Jim asked, not buying Hodges claim, and looking hard at Iris.

The rest of the group were now on board and had overheard the exchange.

"I think she should be called Jim's "_Brass Lass_"," Iris said.

Brass stared at her several moments before that shark's grin of his creased his mouth. "I like it, Iris."

Grissom produced a plastic bottle of Sprite to give to Jim. "Here, best I can do on short notice to christen her with."

"Okay, gotta keep tradition, I christen thee "_Brass Lass_"," Brass said and gently hit the side of the boat with the Sprite bottle, then shook it up and let the contents pour into the water.

Applause came from the group as Jim beamed before he ordered, "Life jackets on, take your seats, we're blowing this popsicle stand!"

Brass eased the boat away from the dock, noting that everyone had seated his or herself with their special someone, with the exception of Iris and Hodges and himself. That was changing before the day was over he thought as he mentally renewed his vow of Babe or Bust.

The boat knifed through the clear blue-green water as the sunlight made rainbows in the spray that Iris leaned down to try and touch with her fingers as she felt a childlike delight that manifested in her face. Jim caught her bright smile and nodded at her. His dark sunglasses hid the appraising look he gave her. She could be outrageously cute at times. Brass saw her mouth "faster" and complied with the request, grinning at how she braced herself in the bow. It was very close to the rush of horseback riding she admitted to herself.

Jim's _Brass Lass_ was now in the part of the lake that allowed tubing, skiing and wave boarding. Jim slowed the boat to a stop. The women quickly shucked off shorts and outer shirts to reveal their swim suits. Jim was as partial to the female form as the next man and heartily admired the representation before him. Lord, there was eye candy here to behold he told himself. Iris had opted for a swirling pattern black and purple tankini suit, as near to a bikini as she'd dared, while the other women were garbed in bikinis across the board, including Catherine in her hot pink that had caused Warrick to nearly drool.

"I vote for tubing!" Toreth requested.

"I'll second that!" Alicia chimed in.

"The whale banana tube can safely hold up to six people," Brass told everyone.

"Greg and I can round out that group, can't we, hon?" Dee pleaded at him.

"Sure, I'm game," Greg capitulated without hesitation.

While Warrick and Nick inflated the tube with the onboard air compressor, Iris suddenly frowned at Brass. "Jim, you're wearing sun screen aren't you?"

"Nope, I didn't bring any," Brass shrugged indifferently.

"That won't do, sir! You're as fair-skinned as I am. We'd win king and queen of the freckle prom. Here, take you're shirt off," Iris ordered.

"We're playing a strip game?" Jim asked, looking falsely hopeful.

"You wish!" Iris' frosty response could've frozen hell over Jim thought.

"Maybe I do," he shot back and her mouth went into a small rose-pink "O".

He decided to comply and took off both shirts. Iris was silent as she started to put the sun screen on his back, applying a generous amount and then slowly rubbing it in, moving to his shoulders, arms and then chest. Jim realized he was getting the back rub of his life and his eyes closed in contentment, but Iris would never know since his shades were in place. He was totally relaxed by the time she was done. The tube of sun screen was then placed into his hands. He pulled the sunglasses down his nose slightly to peer at her.

"You can do your legs. I held off on giving you a happy ending," Iris said straight-faced.

"How much for one?" Jim wisecracked and got punched in the arm by Iris.

"You couldn't afford it," she declared and returned to the bow of the boat.

"Jim, tube's in the water, six on board," Grissom said.

Brass appreciated the change of attention, given he had no smart reply to Iris' retort.

The boat started forward and gained speed as the banana tube boat careened, its passengers laughing and screaming wildly in enjoyment. At the end of the ride, the tube passengers returned to the boat, then the lines for the water skis and wave board secured for the next round of fun. Nick and Hodges each took a wave board, followed by Warrick and Catherine, Sara and Grissom on the water skis. As the boat gained speed, encouragement was shouted by Toreth, Ecklie, Dee and Greg. Iris went back to add her voice of support. Those in the water were holding their own so Brass eased the throttle up to rev the speed up some but kept turning his head to check on the skiers and boarders.

Things went great until Catherine lost her balance and then her grip on the ski handle, Warrick dropped his so he could stay back with her. Brass circled the boat around with the rest keeping on their skis and boards to pick up those bobbing in the water. Catherine was wrapped around Warrick like an octopus when the boat slowed beside them.

The next hour was spent alternating between tubing, skiing and boarding. Brass was happy driving the boat, but he saw Iris opted to stay on board. He wanted to know why so while the rest of the group was exchanging to do more tubing, he went up to the bow where she sat.

"You okay?" he asked.

Iris had been watching other boats in the distance and turned to show she was wearing goggles.

"What's this?" Jim pointed.

"Prescription goggles. I'm going to take a quick dip,'' Iris replied.

"No, you're not, swim back at the beach," Jim told her flatly.

"Everyone else is doing what they want to, so let me do this," Iris protested.

"Water's too deep, it's not safe, no dice," Brass ended the discussion and went to tell Grissom it was time to head back to the beach, his stomach reminding him it was high time to eat. He heard a splash and turned to see an empty bow and Iris' life jacket on her bow seat.

"Hey, Iris, way to swan dive!" Nick crowed.

Jim raced up to the bow and peered to the port and starboard, circular ripples on the port side marked her entrance into the water. He waited anxiously for several moments and she didn't surface.

"Great, I won't tolerate mutiny," Jim muttered angrily at Iris' flagrant disobedience coupled with alarm not seeing her come up.

"Jim, she come up yet?" Grissom asked worriedly as he joined the detective.

"No, dammit, anyone know if she's a good swimmer?" Brass demanded.

"I believe she is," Sara volunteered.

"Aw, hell," Jim barked, tossed the sunglasses on the driver's seat, peeled off his shirt, kicked off his boat shoes, and leaped into the water. He kept beneath the surface and looked frantically, coming up briefly to take a breath and holler up at Grissom. "See her?"

Grissom shook his head to the negative. Nick got ready to join Brass in the water but Grissom told him to wait on Jim.

The rest of the group piled up to the bow area, their collective voices reflecting fear and concern.

Hodges stayed at the stern of the boat.

"What's going on?" he heard a familiar voice ask behind him.

"Iris!" Hodges whooped, seeing Iris paddling comfortably by the whale banana tube boat tethered to the large boat.

Grissom saw Hodges' thumbs up sign and said a silent thank God.

"Jim, Iris is okay, she's at the back of the boat!" Grissom said down to Brass.

Jim's face initially was relieved and then went dark in anger. He swam along side the boat to the back to climb up the ladder to get in as Warrick and Nick helped him. Iris was drying off with a towel as Jim strode toward her. He grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a frustrated shake. "What were you doing?"

"I just took a quick swim," Iris removed her goggles with a puzzled look, "no big deal."

"The hell it was. I thought…we thought you were drowning," Brass fumed at her.

"Aw, shucks, I missed out on the chance then for you to give me mouth to mouth resuscitation. Thank goodness the sunscreen's waterproof and I don't have to put it on you again," Iris downplayed his alarm and walked past him to sit in the bow area.

"What the…?" Brass said and threw up his hands in exasperation.

Grissom moved to defuse the tense situation. "I think we've had our share of aquatic fun for the day, let's say we head back and get the picnic going!"

"Fine by me," Brass growled, took his driver's seat back, noting Iris strategically kept her back to him.

Toreth whispered to Ecklie, "Do your coworkers stay angry at one another long?"

"No, this'll blow over quickly. Jim and Iris rarely have disagreements. They're actually quite good friends," Ecklie assured her.

"Good, I want to see us all have a wonderful rest of the day," Toreth said and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Griss, I didn't know Brass was a lifeguard," Catherine laughed.

"He'll keep his day job," Grissom said.

"What do you go by, Griss or Grissom or Gil?" Dee asked, Greg's arm trying to sneak around her waist.

"All of the above," he replied.

"I think Griss suits you best. Sara, you, Catherine and Iris work with a bunch of hotties, not a bad gig to go to daily," Dee declared enviously but her gaze was only for Greg.

"I hadn't looked at it that way," Sara considered, but Grissom felt her hand slip into his.

"I have to say Dee's onto something there," Alicia agreed before she leaned to murmur into Nick's ear. "Promise me you'll wear your cowboy hat to bed again later tonight like you did before."

Nick was sipping a Coke and spluttered, making the others laugh, sure that whatever Alicia had said it had caught him off guard.

Brass sighed and wanted to make peace with Iris before they got back to the beach. He'd agreed to a truce. Iris still sat with her back resolutely to him. She could be as stubborn as he, Jim grudgingly admitted. Someone had to take the first step. "Hey!"

She didn't turn or acknowledge him. Okay, he was a big enough man to swallow his pride and take two steps. He moved up to the bow while the rest of the group was discussing what they wanted to do at the festival tonight behind them. He sat next to her where she had nowhere to go and no choice but to deal with him.

"Iris, what you did was reckless and that's not like you," Jim started off reasonably.

"Oh, really, how would you know? I can be spontaneous and if you want to call it reckless, whatever. That flew in the face of what you think you know about me! I wasn't a damsel in distress and I didn't need rescuing," Iris responded tartly.

"You know it wouldn't hurt for you to be a damsel in distress once in awhile, maybe some guy out there'd like to be your knight in shining armor. I think you could do with some rescuing!" Jim growled at her, feeling his exasperation returning.

Iris stared at him and her dark eyes bespoke a clash of emotions. She chose her words with care but said them in a challenging tone, "Why don't _**you**_ rescue me then?"

Jim's mouth clamped shut to stop from gaping at her. He waited a few moments before neutrally responding. "Iris, uh, we're good friends…I just meant you can keep up a force field without knowing it…let it down here and have fun. That's what the rest of us are here to do for this team outing."

Her gaze dropped from his a moment, processing what he'd said. The tone of her voice was then sincere with a ghost of a smile. "You're absolutely right, Jim, I need to follow your good advice. Thanks for giving me your perspective."

"Brass man, let's get back to the sand," Nick hollered.

"I'm starving!" Warrick said.

"I could eat a horse! Oops, sorry, Iris!" Catherine agreed, waving at Iris.

"We're ready," Grissom said with Sara nestled beside him.

"My brownies await consumption," Hodges said imperiously.

The tube's deflated and put up, Captain Brass," Greg announced with a smart salute.

"Yeah, I don't want this to be a three-hour tour," Ecklie said, eliciting a groan from Toreth.

"Please don't tell me you thought _Gilligan's Island_ was watchable?"

"It had its moments and I think the ingenuity in _MacGyver_ was inspired by it, plus you had Ginger and Mary Ann," Ecklie admitted drolly.

"Come on, skipper, get us back to port," Alicia giggled.

"Well, does this mean I get to be your little buddy?" Iris asked Brass slyly. She was curled back up on the bow seat in front of him. Hodges was starting to make his way back up to the other bow seat.

"Like I said, we're good friends," Jim had little time to reply and said the first thing that came to mind.

"Of course, I'm well acquainted with that," Iris said lightly and turned away.

Jim sighed. Everyone was ready to go. He'd have to ponder what Iris meant on the ride back to the beach.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Nick pulled up in the Excursion at the Donner Lake Marina, still trying to figure out what had caused Brass to tersely insist on returning the boat once back at the beach. He'd told Grissom it'd only delay the picnic 20 minutes, so Grissom had agreed to it. Brass was already there waiting for him in front and wasted no time in climbing into the passenger's seat.

"Well, is everybody PO'd at me because they have to wait?" Jim rumbled.

"No, they understand the boat and other stuff had to be returned, but everyone's ready to eat when we get back," Nick replied and added. "You're the one who's full of piss and vinegar if you ask me."

Jim rubbed at his neck and groaned. "Look, I came here to find some friendly female company just like you and I'm not used to not filling my quota if you get my drift."

"Sure, I get it. The day's young, Brass man, we got good grub waiting for us and who knows what's going to happen at the festival. You just need to be in the right place at the right time," Nick said encouragingly.

"Yeah, that's what I keep hearing but what I see is nearly everyone's hooked up at this point," Brass snapped even as he tried to take Nick's encouragement positively but it wasn't working.

"Can I make an observation?" Nick offered.

"What?" Brass gave a sigh of resignation.

"I saw you getting a great back rub from Iris. I've had my share from her and she gives amazing massages…" Nick began.

"Massages by Iris?" Brass was incredulous, never dreaming he'd put two such words in the same sentence.

"Uh oh! Me and my big mouth! Cat's out of the bag now. Yeah, she can do massages, Brass man, but that's on the down low. She only gives them to select people or she'd have them lined up. From what I could see, she was giving you an involved one, slow and lingering, and I never got that type from her. Lucky you," Nick said with genuine envy.

"She's a good friend, same as you. She was just concerned I didn't have sun screen on," Jim blew it off and refused to think further on it.

"Ah, we're here, Jim. Man, I hated being away from Alicia even that long," Nick said as he saw her wave from the picnic area.

"You are so whipped," Jim's laughter boomed out of the Excursion as they opened its doors.

. . . . .

After a quick shower and change into fresh clothes, something everyone else decided to do while Nick was gone to get Brass, Iris was a busy bee about the picnic table, making sure all the food was set up to her satisfaction along with place settings with paper plates and the like. Catherine and Sara had pitched right in, along with the Truckee Triplets Iris had secretly dubbed the ladies met by Ecklie, Greg and Nick.

Hodges was putting the finishing touches on his brownies and worrying over them like a mother hen. Iris stopped to check his progress.

"They look great, David," she complimented him.

"Will they keep okay, given we're waiting longer?" Hodges sounded just a bit whiney.

"They'll be fine…," Iris started to say.

"Hodges?" a new voice interjected.

David Hodges knew he had to be having an intense daydream or hallucination at that moment. He couldn't believe his eyes let alone his ears.

Wendy gave him an amused look. "Are you a doubting Thomas or should I say doubting David?"

He set the brownies down as she approached and he felt her fingers entwine with his. Hodges finally could only say a simple "How?"

"I asked Grissom to reconsider about having Wendy join the team outing. He heard my many reasons and agreed. She flew up and just got here," Iris said.

"That's right and I expect you two to make the best of the remaining time with our plans," Grissom interjected when he saw Wendy going into the covered picnic area and followed.

"Uh, thanks, Grissom," Hodges said cautiously but gratefully.

Grissom nodded and left to resume the Frisbee game he had going with Sara and the rest of the group.

"I knew, Wendy knew, you knew, we all knew and you still needed a nudge!" Iris snickered and went back to checking over the food. "Hey, two more brownies need a W!"

"She's trying to play matchmaker," Wendy said low in Velikon.

"Can't say she did a bad job," Hodges replied in the same manner, deftly adding the letter W in red icing to the brownie cupcake.

"You really did make brownies," Wendy's disbelief was genuine.

"I have prowess in the kitchen," Hodges declared confidently.

"Do you have prowess in other areas of the house?" Wendy whispered in his ear and the warmth of her breath made Hodges' brow break out in sweat.

"Uh, a demonstration could be arranged…later, that is," Hodges murmured nervously.

. . . . .

When Nick and Brass got back, they went to get their showers done and it was in record time. Jim was sure the sound of his stomach growls could be heard a block away.

Brass saw that the picnic tables had been pushed together so everyone could be seated by one another. He called out, "Let's dig in!"

"Don't have to tell me twice!" Nick came in with an arm around Alicia.

"If Iris' recipes are half what you said, I'll have to work out for a week but it'll be worth it," Alicia lamented.

"Don't worry, hon, I've got a way to work off the calories for both of us," Nick chuckled at Alicia rolling her eyes at him.

"Iris, is anything here new that we haven't had?" Catherine asked.

"The chicken is baked with a honey glaze and ground pecans are part of the batter crust," Iris disclosed. "No one's allergic to nuts I hope?"

She was relieved to hear from all that no one had a nut allergy.

Grissom pointed at the head of the large table where he stood that Jim should take a seat there. Brass nodded and sat down. The drinks were varied from cold beer long necks to lemonade to soft drinks. He'd chosen a Heineken for his own beverage of choice.

Grissom raised his long neck beer with a grin. "You all knew a toast was coming. There are good ships, and there are wood ships. The ships that sail the sea.  
But the best ships, are friendships, and may they always be. May you live all the days of your life."

"Well said," Toreth said before drinking her beer.

"Grissom always has some quote in his head," Jim agreed and took a swig of his Heineken.

"Food…I need nourishment," Greg tried to sound pitiful.

"Praise the Lord and pass the plate," Iris said simply and opened up the insulated food carrier with the fried chicken.

"Amen to that," Brass added, causing her to look at him with mild surprise. He gave her a reassuring smile, remembering to honor their truce.

"Get that chicken going," Dee commanded jovially.

The food was dispensed quickly and they all fell into feasting like Vikings of old.

Second and third helpings were asked for without guilt. Hodges saw how much Wendy could put away and pondered where a future dinner date should take place.

"Now that was a spread," Jim said at least with a contented belch. He waited for female disapproval to be displayed.

Iris shrugged and let at least a Richter 8 on the burp scale go, much to Brass' concealed delight. She was the most genteel among the women to him, so this was a pleasant surprise indeed. "It's a sign of good cooking and considered in other cultures to be a way of complimenting the food," Iris explained.

With that, there was a sequential cacophony of varying degrees of male and female burping and any gestures of female disapproval came from nearby women with their kids in tow. That Brass started laughing and his humor was contagious, quickly spreading to the entire group.

"Everyone has room left for brownie cupcakes, right?" Hodges proposed and quickly placed two cupcakes in front of each person, including Wendy and himself.

Almost everyone wasted no time in devouring their goodies.

"Uh, I'm not much for sweets, Hodges, someone else can have mine," Sara revealed and pushed them away.

"Please try them, Sara," Hodges coaxed and pushed them back her way.

"I'm sure they're great, but I can't," Sara refused and pushed the cupcakes back toward Hodges.

"Man, I'm stuffed to the max, couldn't eat another bite. Wish I could try them out. Sorry, Hodges," Warrick declined his brownies also.

Hodges tried to hide his dismay. "Uh, well, I understand."

"Pudgy, my ass," Jim grunted, knowing only Nick and Warrick would understand that reference to Doc Robbins, before taking Sara's cupcakes. "I can give these a very good home."

"Me too," Ecklie chimed in and Warrick handed him the cupcakes.

"Your cupcakes are a hit," Iris chortled at Hodges.

"Right…a hit…," Hodges said slowly.

About fifteen minutes after eating the cupcakes, Brass suddenly looked flushed as he felt a rush of energy and something else. It was the feeling of blood surging through his veins, a roaring in his ears, and a turgid thickening occurring due south of the belly button that only happened when he was in the mood for amor. His senses were all heightened and the knowledge he was in the presence of females. Not here not now he groaned internally. Jim scanned the rest of the group discretely and no else looked the same as he…wait a minute…Ecklie had broken out in a similar sweat.

Toreth was chatting with Iris and Sara about how she'd gotten into jewelry making when Ecklie's hand insistently claimed hers. "Won't you excuse us, please?"

As Ecklie walked by Nick, he said hoarsely, "Where are the jet skis?"

"At the dock, what's up?" Nick queried.

"One guess, I need to find a port of intimacy…immediately," Ecklie rasped as he lead Toreth away toward the dock. Her look of confusion melted into surprise as Ecklie stopped to kiss her.

"What got into him?" Iris wondered in ear shot of Hodges who looked the other way.

Brass was struggling to control a raging desire to do what you can't in a public place and not get arrested for it. He needed to release what was building inside somehow some way somewhere. Now was when he desperately needed that babe to be and he agreed with Ecklie's discrete exit. Toreth was in for the ride of her life, no question, if Ecklie felt a fraction of what Jim was experiencing.

No longer in control of himself, instinct took over and demanded satisfaction or as much as could be had spur of the moment. Brass saw Iris as she shared something funny with Nick and the two were having a good laugh. His zone of vision narrowed to focus only on her as he strode up to her. She saw him approach and she smiled at him, thinking he had something to add to the joke she'd told Nick.

Brass literally "attacked" Iris as he placed his hands on her hips and hoisted her up on the picnic table. Iris only had a moment to gasp in surprise. Like an eagle swooping down on its targeted prey, Jim's lips hungrily clamped on hers, his tongue unrelenting in its quest past her lips to find her own. His arms crushed her to him as his probing kiss continued with a "take no prisoners" attitude. The rest of the group stood in shock before a chorus of hoops and hollers erupted around Brass and Iris that were all encouraging. What astonished Jim as much as what was happening at the moment was Iris' beginning to return what was clearly now a willingly received kiss. Brass felt her hunger answering his own, her arms sliding slowly up his chest and then around his neck. Her fingers clutched frantically at his back then kneading between his shoulders, like a cat luxuriating at a scratching post.

Their delicious exchange went on for how long neither knew as everything around them faded away. What mattered only was the mounting desire to find a place where it was only them so that this journey could reach the mutual conclusion that was as old as time itself. Jim wanted to go find the other jet ski and steal away with Iris. He'd seen a very small but isolated cove nearby with an out of the way beach. No one was there he was sure and he desperately wanted to take Iris there. Brass shuddered against Iris, feeling the roaring start to subside and his vision began to clear, but the vascular thickening in his nether region was now an acute ache. Their lips were slow to part as Iris looked up at him, her expression a mixture of confusion about what had just happened and wanting them to resume what they'd just shared. She shook her head as if to clear her thoughts but she wasn't extricating herself from his embrace.

"Uh, sorry, it must've been the brownies talking," Brass said hastily and eased himself away from Iris. "I'll be back later, need to take care of some business."

"Brass man, you okay? You're red as a lobster!" Nick observed.

"Nick, toss me the key to the wave runner," Jim demanded hoarsely and caught the silver key with one grab. He was making a dash for that cove he'd thought about so he could relieve the pressure building inside like a champagne bottle needing uncorked. The result would be about the same he thought ironically.

Catherine watched as the homicide detective did a hurried exit stage left. "Anyone notice how Jim was walking? His gait reminds me of a guy with an extreme case of jock itch."

"After that smooch he laid on Iris, maybe he had more in mind?" Warrick shrugged.

Iris still looked stunned and Sara went to check on her friend. "Iris, you okay?"

Iris blinked several moments, her fingers gently touching her lips…lips that felt like they were on fire. "Wow."

"Wow what?" Sara asked carefully.

"Wow as in who knew he could kiss like that," Iris clarified softly. "Jim acted like he was under…Ecklie too."

"What are you talking about?" Sara wanted to make sense out of what Iris was saying.

"Okay, I think we can all pitch in and clean up after this great picnic lunch," Grissom moved to shift the group's attention to another task given what had just happened between his best friend and one of his CSI's.

Iris saw Hodges and her eyes narrowed. He was covering leftovers with Wendy and saw Iris coming his way. The stormy look on her face caused him to gulp.

"David, could I please have a word with you in private," Iris changed gears and made sure her voice matched a face that was the definition of pleasant.

"Uh, sure, Iris, I'll be right back," Hodges said and glanced hopefully at Wendy. She gave him a brilliant smile and it encouraged him to face whatever he had to with Iris.

At the back of one of the Excursions, Hodges followed Iris when she spun on her heel and her index finger poked him sharply in the chest. He knew she fenced and thought if had been an actual epee and her anatomical knowledge he'd of been skewered on the spot. Her eyes were dark black as she demanded, "What was in those brownies?"

Hodges' eyes dropped and he scuffed his sandals in the dirt like a little boy. "It was herbs like I said."

"David, what herbs? That had to be some mix given the reaction of Ecklie and Jim, but why only them," Iris persisted.

Hodges shifted his weight restlessly from foot to foot like a kid with his hand caught in a cookie jar. Iris wouldn't let him go until he came clean.

"I was doing research on the web about herbal love potions. The exact ingredients are Guarana seed (Paullinia cupana); Damiana (Turnera diffusa); Kapikachhu (Mucuna pruriens); Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera); Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus); Muira Puama (Ptychopetalum olacoides)' Gokshura (Tribulus terrestris); Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium); Bala (Sida cordifolia); and  
Sariva (Hemidismus indica)," he confessed slowly.

"Love potions?" Iris gasped, recognizing the herb names.

"Yes, I wanted to conduct a controlled experiment to see if there was any veracity to the claims of herbal love potion mixtures," Hodges elaborated.

"You gave us the equivalent of herbal Viagra, at least for the men, so you could have lab rats? What were you thinking? What if someone had an allergic reaction? How did you expect this so-called experiment to go?" Iris was furious now.

"I went over the what-ifs in advance, Iris, I promise. I was able to find out through discrete questioning here and there that no one had any allergies to herbs. My experiment was to see if anyone displayed any immediate changes in behavior toward their significant other after eating two brownie cupcakes that would give credence to the claims of herbal aphrodisiacs. Originally I didn't plan on my eating any so I could observe the results firsthand, but when Wendy came unexpectedly I had to put myself into the test group. I couldn't foresee Ecklie and Brass eating four but, obviously, four have an effect and two didn't. Are you going to tell Grissom?" Hodges finished with a nervous croak at the thought of a reprimand from the man who he truly had a fawning hero worship of.

Iris pondered several moments on her response as Jim's kiss played over and over in her mind which she now knew was in essence drug-induced. Brass hadn't been himself as the herbal concoction had denuded him of naturally set boundaries. "No, I'm not going to have you recount this to Griss. No actual harm was done. I'm sure Ecklie and Toreth are making the most of your little party favor. As for Jim, he has to be as embarrassed as me for what happened. Still, don't you ever try such an irresponsible stunt again," Iris sternly warned him.

"Iris, I can't thank you enough," Hodges said with palpable relief.

"Get back there and enjoy your time with Wendy. I have high hopes for you two," Iris gave Hodges a friendly nudge to head them back to the covered picnic area.

. . . . .

Brass tried to make a discrete return to the covered picnic area nearly 45 minutes later. He'd not had any difficulty in achieving resolution of his particularly marked state of arousal, it'd only taken a more intimate version of what he'd had happen with Iris for the proverbial scenes of a rocket taking off, a train going into a tunnel, a volcano erupting, an atomic bomb going off, or a hot dog landing in a bun to occur. He observed a lively Frisbee game in progress involving Sara, Grissom, Hodges, Wendy, Ecklie and Toreth but also three-on-three volleyball going on between Nick, Alicia, Catherine, Warrick, Dee and Greg.

He made sure he was by Ecklie when he was between Frisbee tosses. Jim asked in a low voice, "So, Conrad, how was it?"

Ecklie gave him a peripheral glance, "How was what?"

"You left with Toreth like a bat out of hell and I was in the same boat as you, so you know damn well what I'm asking about!" Jim insisted.

Ecklie pulled back away from the Frisbee game a moment, calling out to Toreth he'd just be minute, and then walked a few feet away with Brass following. When he was sure he was no one else was within hearing range, he said to Brass with a very un-Ecklie like grin that stretched from ear to ear, "Best loving I've ever had…bar none…even before and after the ex Mrs. Ecklie! Wait a minute, you said you were in the same, uh, boat?"

"Yeah, well, the love boat sailed without me," Brass sighed crankily.

"Sorry, Jim," Ecklie said sympathetically and saw Toreth's beckoning wave. "I need to get back there."

"Another whipped male bites the dust," Jim muttered to himself with the promise not to fall into that category. He was in control of his own destiny when it came to the getting-some-loving department.

He then sidled up to Nick, bare-chested and sporting an Adonis-like physique, "Uh, where's Iris?"

"Ready for round two, are you stud?" Nick joked.

"Funny, Stokes, you and I both know it was an accident!" Brass protested.

"You sure about that?" Nick asked pointedly before he served the volleyball.

Brass ignored his question. "Just tell me where."

"She took the jet ski when Ecklie and Toreth got back, said something about going for a swim where it's allowed," Nick disclosed.

"Damn," Jim swore softly.

"Not to worry, Brass man, she'll be back by the time we're ready to head to the festival," Nick insisted.

"Jim, come play Frisbee!" Sara laughed as she chased the one she missed from Grissom. She snagged it in mid-air finally and came back to grab Jim's hand playfully. "Come on, don't be a stick in the mud!"

Brass reluctantly joined them but found to his delight he could still sling one like he had in his college days. While Jim was somewhat pleased no one besides Nick made any reference to or asked about what had happened between him and Iris, he found himself periodically scanning about to see her return. An hour later as everyone rested under the covered picnic area and enjoyed something to drink, she quietly showed up post shower and changed into fresh clothes. Jim swallowed hard, wondering how she'd not only act toward him but deal with any comments from the rest of their group.

"Warrick, slide me a lemonade, please," Iris requested and took a seat by Dee and Greg. She made no eye contact with Jim whatsoever.

"So how could you leave without the Brass man after your very public romantic interlude?" Warrick asked with a "tsk tsk" sound.

Jim groaned inside to himself – here we go.

"Oh, you mean the act we pulled?" Iris replied breezily.

"Act?" Warrick faltered.

"Yes, Jim and I wanted to do something that would just shock everyone's socks off and we decided to do a little play acting at some point during the team outing. We figured no one would expect our acting like a twosome. It wasn't planned for right then and there, but I have to hand it to Jim on the timing," Iris declared casually between long sips of lemonade.

"Oh, really, care to comment, Jim?" Greg found he was puzzled and not sure he believed what was said.

Jim's eyes met Iris' and he silently agreed to partner with her in the deception. "Yeah, Iris and I wanted to do something totally out of character for her. Hell, you know I always have an eye for the ladies and it was a golden opportunity to freak you all out."

"You dog you," Nick said with a hint of admiration.

"Guess we'll see you at the Academy Awards for best actor," Grissom interjected drily.

"Yeah, acting is a hidden talent of mine," Jim smiled convincingly.

"Change of subject, please! We're outlining again what we're doing tonight and when we're expected to head back?" Catherine interjected with a sly look at Jim.

"I have to sing a couple of songs with the Vintage Vibes tonight but we're due to go on first tonight before Deep River, so they've agreed to let me off early so I can hang with Greg and the rest of you," Dee said and she gave a little coquettish wink at Greg.

"Let's count on hitting the carnival for a while before listening to the bands. I promised Alicia a big stuffed gorilla at one of the arcade booths," Nick proposed.

"A big gorilla as a memento? I find that oddly fitting, Nick, it should definitely remind her of you," Iris quipped as Alicia tried her best not to laugh.

"Hey now, what are you implying?" Nick warned with a wagging finger at her.

"I have to be check my store and vendor tent briefly if that's okay," Toreth told the group.

"So long as the women aren't in a shopping mood!" Hodges dared to add.

"What if it's something for you?" Wendy challenged.

Recalling his promise to get an off the wall souvenir for her, Hodges wisely let it go while considering just what would serve in that capacity.

"Does anyone know when do the fireworks start?" Brass asked, not wanting the ladies to get irked at the subject of shopping. He was a battle-scarred veteran of such discussions.

"Nine o'clock," Iris piped up.

"So a little carnival, a little dancing, a little fire working, and later…," Catherine left the rest unsaid deliberately…they were all adults here. Warrick's hand stroked the small of her back at that and thoughts of what might be later came to mind for both of them.

"Well, can we make it interesting tonight and change partners while dancing periodically," Sara proposed. She saw Iris' slight smile at that. This way everyone got the chance to dance.

"I have no objection," Grissom said, understanding Sara's reasons.

"Time's wasting, next stop carnival!" Ecklie now spoke up.

As the group headed to the Excursions, Brass walked briefly beside Iris and said in a low voice for her to hear alone. "That was a great glove save about what happened between us with the, uh, accidental contact, you thought quickly."

She smiled at his hockey term reference. "We had to keep up appearances, did we not?"

"I suppose. Look, would you save a dance or two for me tonight, maybe during the fireworks?" Jim asked urgently.

Iris looked at him thoughtfully before replying, "Yes, I'd enjoy that. As far as what happened between us, it was the brownies talking, like you said earlier."

"No harm, no foul?" Brass was incredulous.

"No harm, no foul," Iris reassured him.

Brass' phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out while they continued to walk together. "Iris, I just got a text from Andrew Winters on Peter MacDougal. They've worked a plea deal with the D.A. It looks like he'll be getting probation and no trial."

"I know you wanted a trial and why, Jim, but given the facts don't you agree this worked out for the best," Iris pointed out carefully.

"Nothing can bring Luther Watkins back but he's going to be laid to rest properly, thanks to the Law Dawgs you know, so all things being equal I'll have to say yeah," Brass concurred but it was still difficult for him she knew.

On arriving to the Excursions, Jim gave her a gallant smile, "After you, milady."

"Kind sir, your chivalry knows no bounds," Iris returned demurely, accepting his hand to assist her into the SUV.

. . . . .

"Aw, c'mon, Alicia, here's the gorilla I promised you. The rest of the gang's waiting on us!" Nick pleaded. He'd spent more than he wanted to in his efforts to win the giant stuffed primate at the basketball booth.

"It's pink, Nicky, I can't take a pink one to remember you by," Alicia sniffed.

"Okay," Nick sighed and turned to the booth operator. "You have any other ones?"

"Pink's the one I have to show, buddy, hardest color to get rid of," the carnie said and spat companionably on the ground.

"Uh, well, how much would it take to get a non-pink gorilla considering I did win the game fair and square?" Nick asked, doing his best to be amiable.

"Twenty bucks will insure you get some action later with that beauty," winked the carnie with a leering smile that boasted several missing teeth.

"Gee, thanks, for being so understanding," Nick grumbled while the carnie walked behind the basketball goal and returned with a brown gorilla.

"Nicky, you got it, baby!" Alicia nearly squealed, wrapping Nick in a hug that made it worthwhile to him as his resultant grin was as big as his native Texas.

. . . . .

"Damn, Brass, ol' Deadeye should be your nickname!" Warrick affirmed as Brass won another round at the shooting gallery. The operator looked heavenward for intervention as Brass pointed to a big brown teddy bear, one of several stuffed animals he'd already won and given away to passing children.

"Iris! Here you go!" Brass called out to her and tossed her the teddy bear as she turned around. She grinned and made a sign using sign language toward him before Catherine grabbed her arm to follow Warrick.

"Gil, what'd she just do?" Brass asked his friend whose deaf mother had taught him to learn sign language as a child.

"She signed thank you," Grissom interpreted.

"How do you sign you're welcome?" Jim now asked.

"Like this," Grissom demonstrated the appropriate response. Brass repeated the moves and Grissom corrected him once. Brass practiced the physical gestures once more and Grissom nodded his approval.

"Hey, Iris!" Jim hollered.

"Yo," Iris had been trying her hand at the water gun game with Warrick and Catherine and only got her butt kicked in the process.

Jim flawlessly signed "_you're welcome_" to her and he was rewarded with a beaming smile and thumbs up sign from her.

The gang now tried all the rides they could before Dee had to be available for the Vintage Vibes set. Brass made sure if it was a two-person ride that he was Iris' escort. They were in the bumper cars and while Iris enjoyed Brass' company and his friendly mood, she just had to say what was on her mind. The opportunity came right after Brass took out Nick and Alicia in their bumper car with a PIT (pursuit intervention technique) move he'd used in police chases. Jim also took out Grissom and Sara by rear-ending theirs into a wall. Seeing his toothy grin of satisfaction, she nudged him hard in the ribs. Having his attention, she frowned and chided him, "Aren't you supposed to be on the hunt for your babe-to-be, your Brass Lass? You can't bag her if you're not scoping things out!"

"I'm scoping, Iris, I'm scoping but aren't we having fun?" he countered.

"Yes, we are but first thing's first and that's your finding a honey," Iris said to redirect him.

"I will before the night's out," Brass proclaimed confidently.

There was a Truckee store vendor by the carnival midway who was taking photographs of individuals, but Grissom asked if she could take a large group picture and what the fee would be. A price was agreed upon and Grissom gathered everyone to be present, including the Truckee Three which remained Iris' secret name for the three additional women. The photographer gave considerable time and thought to arranging the lineup to be just so. She made allowances for the several couples that had resulted in the last 24 hours or more. Brass and Iris were left as the odd ones out and the photographer frowned only a moment, taking Iris to the forefront having Brass stand behind her. The photographer placed Brass' arms to encircle Iris' waist and clasp hands in the front.

She stood back and scanned the group with a satisfied smile.

Brass whispered in Iris' ear, "Let's look real chummy, okay?"

Her head turned a fraction so he could hear her low reply, "You mean like everyone else is?"

Jim's nod was nearly imperceptive. "Yeah, is that okay with you?"

"Ham it up," Iris challenged.

Brass' answer was to tighten his embrace and interlace their fingers while he turned her just enough so that her cheek met his own. Iris ordered herself not to blush but it was going to be next to impossible given this close contact with him.

"Smile!" the photographer commanded just before Iris was blinded by her camera's flash.

Grissom stepped away from Sara to approach the photographer. "When can you have 25 available?"

"See me tomorrow afternoon at my studio on the square. I'll be sure they're ready," the photographer promised.

. . . . .

At six p.m., Dee had to leave them so she could join the Vintage Vibes to prepare for their show. It was evident to all that Greg was forming a strong attachment to his voluptuous companion. He wanted to go with her but she insisted that he stay with the group. Greg's sigh was pronounced after she'd left.

"Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow," Grissom quoted sympathetically. "Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene II.

"Greg, I think you can count on having a helluva morrow with her," Warrick speculated, giving him a friendly punch in the arm.

"Yeah, she's been great for you," Nick agreed.

"Long distance romances don't tend to work out," Greg blurted to divulge his fears.

"You act like she's on the moon or something. You're just a couple hours apart, Junior, so it's not the end of the world," Brass snorted.

"Brass is right. The situation is very workable. You must show her she's already worth that to you," Ecklie interjected.

"Like Toreth is to you?" Catherine put him on the spot.

As Toreth was gone to answer nature's call, Ecklie replied boldly, "Yes, she's to visit me in Vegas and we're working out the details."

"Wow, don't drink the water around here," Iris jested half to herself.

"How's that?" Brass caught what she'd said.

"Oh, I was just thinking out loud at how everyone either came here with their partner or have found one since arriving. The exception is for you to find your mystery lass."

"What about you?" Jim's stare pinned her down.

"I came to see the fireworks and remember a childhood dream," Iris said slowly with a neutral expression and resolved not fidget under the scrutiny of his stare. She turned before her face betrayed more.

"You ready to show off your slow dancing soon?" Sara asked Grissom with a hopeful peck on his cheek.

Grissom smiled at her while he checked his watch and recommended to the group, "Let's head over to the stage and be in a good spot for when Dee sings."

. . . . .

The stage area was full to capacity for the Vintage Vibes show to begin. Dee was dressed in a black sequined pant suit with a V-shape that gave a teasing glimpse of her cleavage. She was given a request that she scanned quickly and then addressed the audience. "Let's try something a little different tonight. I'm going to ask the ladies to follow Miss Alicia down here in a simple line dance that's fun to do. Give us just few minutes."

Alicia went up to Dee followed by Iris, Catherine and Sara. Toreth joined them a moment later as Alicia was asking, "What song? You don't do country!"

"Our group does requests at all kinds of events, and this one's been a recent favorite at wedding receptions. Can you come up with something?" Dee showed Alicia the request.

"Iris, Nick said you do ballroom dancing mainly, so what do you think?" Alicia now showed the song request to Iris.

"Oh, we can have some fun with this one," Iris grinned.

Alicia and Iris came up with a quick routine in five minutes.

"Ladies, come up front and check out this new way to step. Come on, don't be shy!" Dee said with a beckoning wave and the response to invitation was well received by the number of girls from teenagers to grandmothers. "Okay, follow Miss Alicia now."

The steps weren't complex and the body moves for the more adventurous made for a fun routine.

"Okay, men, this song's real popular at wedding receptions so for any single ladies here you may get an offer in the near future because your man won't be able to resist you!" Dee commanded and went into Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)."

The men in Grissom's group focused their attention solely on the ladies who'd they'd been spending their time with as they danced and Alicia accentuated hers with some belly dance moves that Catherine, Sara, Toreth and Iris quickly incorporated into their own steps. Dee mimicked Alicia perfectly on the stage as she sang with gusto. Iris caught Jim's encouraging wink with his head nodding in time with the song.

At the end of the song, the male applause was more than polite and had whistles and shouts as the girls to grandmothers rejoined the teenagers to grandpas.

Dee's wide smile at Greg gave promise to how his evening would be later as she went into another Vintage Vibe song. Greg resumed dancing with Iris who saw that Brass had been invited to dance by a stunningly lissome ash blond who had him wrapped up and held close. Jim didn't see Iris or hear the audible gasp that Greg heard.

"What's wrong?" Greg asked and held Iris at arm's length a moment.

"Jim got his lass," Iris did her best to sound jubilant. She and Brass hadn't even had a chance to dance together yet, but she refused to let that spoil what should be a happy moment for her friend.

Greg caught sight of the detective gliding over the floor with his new female partner. "They make a nice couple."

"Yes, they do indeed," Iris concurred blandly. The song ended and the audience applauded as Dee saw Greg and Iris. She gave them a friendly wave.

"Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, all the young at heart, the Vintage Vibes would like to thank you again for coming to the Truckee Fourth Festival and sharing this part of your evening with us. We'd like to invite a friend up to sing a special song for you all tonight. Would Iris King please come to the stage?" Dee requested and beckoned with a crooked index finger.

Iris' mouth dropped in shock before she quickly grabbed Greg by the arm. "Greg, how does she know I sing?" Iris demanded.

"Uh, well, it came up during conversation with Dee at some point," Greg disclosed casually.

"You are so going to owe me," Iris groaned.

"Come on, Iris, we're waiting," Dee said into the microphone. "Let's encourage her with some applause, folks!"

The crowd clapped and it was punctuated with whistles from the CSI team and friends.

"Sing like you do at the lab," Grissom encouraged her.

"Iris, knock 'em dead, I know you can," Jim said supportively as he came over with his willowy partner. Iris never got the chance to even hear her name when Nick took one arm and Warrick the other to escort her to the stage.

Once on the stage, Iris reluctantly joined Dee who covered the microphone with one hand and put a sheet of paper in her hand with the other. "This is our set list. Pick any song. Greg said you've got great pipes."

Iris scanned the list quickly and looked at the bass player who was the band's leader. She pointed to a title on the list and he nodded with a grin. "Good choice."

She closed her eyes a moment, breathing in serenity and breathing out confusion for composure. It's just like singing a special at church she told herself. She then turned to face the audience. "Like most of you, I'm accustomed to singing at home or in the shower or in the car. I'd like to sing "Be My Baby" for you tonight. Everybody out there grab your honey, let's dance close and slow."

As the band started the popular 1960's song, Iris found her gaze fixing on Jim as she started to sing:

"_The night we met I knew I needed you so and if I had the chance I'd never let you go. So won't you say you love me, I'll make you so proud of me. We'll make 'em turn their heads every place we go. So won't you please be my little baby. Say you'll be my darling. Be my baby now. I'll make you happy, baby, just wait and see. For every kiss you give me, I'll give you three. Oh, since the day I saw you, I have been waiting for you. You know I will adore you till eternity. So won't you please be my little baby. Say you'll be my darling, be my baby now..."_

As she took hold of the microphone, she sang with a plaintive, forlorn tone as she watched the audience melt into twos to dance slow and close as she'd urged. To her surprise, Jim had taken his ash blond comrade to a vendor's table at the edge of the dance floor to buy her a drink. Their eyes continued to meet and she thought she saw him raise his whiskey glass to her as if in salute. The emotions Iris had denied to admit to now welled up inside as she continued her focus on Brass with how she sang directed fully at him. She felt a dismal sense of irony now for what she'd hoped for in her heart of hearts of meeting someone special and to have it reciprocated. Iris decided to let the song say what she couldn't directly, even if it was for naught with Jim and had to be for someone who didn't yet exist for her.

Iris was encouraged by the head nods and thumbs up she was receiving from her team mates while they enjoyed the close contact with their partners. Her smile was for them and not herself as she went through another round of the song as the band played seamlessly behind her.

Brass kept his eyes on Iris for nearly the entire song, even though his supple new dance partner was doing her utmost to ply her charms on him. He'd give her an occasional nod while she chattered in his ear, finding quickly she was a very self-absorbed person that could only talk about herself. She saw his eyes weren't on her but on the person singing, so she placed a blood-red fingernail under his chin to coax his gaze back to her. A part of the lyrics from the Michael Jackson song, "Man in the Mirror", he'd heard on the radio started to play in his mind at that moment:

"_I'm starting with the man in the mirror, I'm asking him to change his ways, yeah. No message could have been any clearer. If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make the change. You gotta get it right, while you got the time. 'Cause when you close your heart, you can't close your, your mind, then you close your mind_."

As the song ended, Iris she gave a brief bow and exited the stage to find Dee waiting to hug her while they heard loud applause. Dee said loudly in her ear, "Go back out!"

"I can't," Iris shook her head with a catch in her voice and tear-bright eyes that reflected the stage lights.

"You sang your heart out for someone in the crowd didn't you?" Dee concluded with round eyes.

"It's okay and best left as one of life's what-ifs," Iris acknowledged.

"Stay here. I've got one more song to do," Dee ordered before she had to go back out on stage.

Before she had to face her teammates, Iris remained behind the stage while she lifted up her glasses to dab at her eyes with a napkin. She sank wearily onto a bar stool to shake off the pensive cloak she now felt the weight of. Refusing to give into it, she listened to Dee's last song which was "_You Can't Hurry Love_" and it was another love song which didn't help her sense of irony at first. However, the song was catchy and breezy so Iris resolved to shake off the negative and stay positive. With eyes closed, she lost herself in the song as the lyrics took her on a wistful journey:

_"I need love, love, to ease my mind. I need to find, find someone to call mine. But mama said, you can't hurry love. No, you just have to wait. She said love don't come easy. It's a game of give and take. You can't hurry love. No, you just have to wait. You got to trust, give it time. No matter how long it takes. But how many heartaches must I stand before I find a love to let me live again. Right now the only thing that keeps me hangin' on when I feel my strength, yeah, it's almost gone. I remember mama said: You can't hurry love. No, you just have to wait. She said love don't come easy. It's a game of give and take. How long must I wait? How much more can I take before loneliness will cause my heart to break. No I can't bear to live my life alone. I grow impatient for a love to call my own. But when I feel that I, I can't go on. These precious words keeps me hangin' on. I remember mama said: You can't hurry love. No, you just have to wait. She said love don't come easy. It's a game of give and take. You can't hurry love. No, you just have to wait. She said trust, give it time. No matter how long it takes. No, love, love, don't come easy."_

A dry sob escaped Iris as she heard the next part of the song:_ "But I keep on waiting. Anticipating for that soft voice to talk to me at night. For some tender arms to hold me tight. I keep waiting. But it ain't easy."_

Her eyes remained closed as she took solace from the song's advice of waiting and to be patient, but time tended not to be a friend in matters of the heart and a sigh escaped her in spite of her mental pep talk.

"Iris?" a baritone voice she didn't expect to hear asked.

Jim stood by her with an enigmatic smile of sorts. She was then aware that he was minus his limber dance partner. Iris shook her head trying to ascertain why. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have sung straight at you the way I did. It just helps me when I to sing in public like that to focus on one person alone. I hope that didn't cause your dance associate to get out of sorts with you."

"I got that impression and I was flattered. Come on, rest of the gang's waiting," Jim said simply and took her hand in his. He went down the stage stairs first and turned to put his hands around her waist and lift her down. Jim reclaimed her hand again.

Iris felt like her heart was in her throat while she asked what she had to, "Jim, don't I get to meet the person you were dancing with?"

"Nope," he said flatly.

"What happened? You seemed to enjoy her company?" Iris asked, quite bewildered.

"Maybe if I could've got a word in edgewise but we'll never know. She was all about her so I told her the rest of my dances were promised," Jim explained with a shrug.

"Ah, well, we just regroup to find someone worthy of your affection. I think there should be unattached ladies between songs," Iris reasoned and turned to go but Jim held her hand fast. She gave him a questioning look but he gave a curt nod of his head at who approached. Iris could play along and her fingers twined with his so that they looked very chummy as Brass had said earlier in the evening.

Eric was walking with the ash-blond that had been with Brass just minutes ago. Jim thought the woman didn't waste any time. Eric gave Iris a long appraising stare before he spoke, "Well, kids, nice night for romancin', isn't it? I didn't know you could sing, Iris, you're full of surprises."

"I could say the same for you, Mr. March, as one with surprises," Iris replied amiably but kept it formal.

"Jim, Eden, here said you to know each other," Eric said casually, his arm possessively circling the slender waist of Brass' former comrade.

"The lady and I had had a couple of dances. She's a very nimble dancer, quite capable of agile moves, almost serpentine in grace," Jim clarified, keeping Iris right beside him.

"Empty net still I see?" Eric speculated with a sympathetic tone.

"No, Eric, I've found my company for the weekend," Brass corrected him as he carefully raised Iris' hand clasped securely in his and then kissed it. Iris' eyes widened marginally but she responded by laying her head on his shoulder, her rationale being to put the "dazzle with diamonds and baffle with bull hockey" adage into practice.

Eden said nothing but her scathing look raked Iris who also remained silent but gave a sublime smile in return.

Brass saw the exchange and in spite of Eden's height, he laid odds Iris could still kick her butt without question.

Eden purred to Eric, "I need another drink. I'll get you one too." She then headed to the nearest vendor tent serving alcohol.

"Well, I think you kids deserve each other," Eric observed with a fixed smile, "Eden and I are heading back to my place. I'm get to take a trip to the Garden of Eden and got the tools to do some gardening. See you on Sunday."

After they left, Iris groaned," I think _they_ deserve each other! He's a legend in his own mind! What a crass jerk!"

"Eric may find he just took on more than he bargained for," Brass agreed with a dry laugh.

"Jim, you know you can stop pretending since you showed Eric you were with someone so you can actively pursue some sweet thing here at the festival. I believe Eric won't be coming out of his hotel room the rest of the weekend because he won't need a chemical restraint for that Eden person," Iris remarked with a quirky smile.

"Uh, no can do, Iris," Jim told her bluntly, still keeping her hand captured in his own.

"I..I..I don't understand?" Iris looked quizzically up at him.

"I was telling Eric the truth. I've found the person of interest I want to spend the holiday with…all of it…day and night, that is if she wants to," Jim revealed and drew her closer to him. "Does she want to?"

"Person of interest?" Iris said and cocked her head while a cautious smile crossed her lips as she tried to interpret his law enforcement phrase beyond what it usually meant.

"Yeah, does she want to?" Brass repeated and folded Iris with care into his arms.

"Jim, I've got fine hair, a pert nose, a plethora of freckles…features I hardly think warrant your attention," Iris found herself saying nervously.

"Detectives love to serve warrants and I think you should know I'm into freckles in a big way," he said gruffly. "So, last chance, does she want to?"

"Yes, my Captain, she does…more than anything," Iris informed him softly.

"Come on, you're spoken for every dance the rest of tonight and tomorrow," Jim smirked at her and took her to the dance floor as the Deep River band began their set.

Brass proved he was smooth on his feet and Iris found her respect mounting with each dance they shared. To her the man moved with a kind of stealthy grace that belied the distinct no-nonsense gait with which he walked. She had no trouble at all synching her steps with his as he lead. The rest of the team including Ecklie displayed little to no surprise whatsoever at seeing the newest couple join their ranks and this dismayed Iris greatly.

"Brass man, what'd you have to do knock her over the head?" Nick commented as he and Alicia went by.

"No, Stokes, she ambushed me. Can you believe it? You gotta watch out for the quiet ones," Jim replied, snarky tone in full force.

"Jim…," Iris started to object but he placed a finger against her lips.

"It's okay, kitten," Jim reassured her.

"Warrick and I approve," Catherine seemed to purr while she and the café au lait CSI moved slowly by.

"Wow, they're glued to each other," Iris observed.

"You don't think we can be?" Jim challenged.

"Uh, sure, I'm sure it's in the works already. You don't stand a chance, you know," Iris replied tartly.

Brass laughed low in her ear, liking her spunky response.

The only time Brass gave her leave to dance with another was with Grissom and while Jim enjoyed squiring Sara away, Iris was pleased to experience first hand the suave style with which Grissom slow danced.

Iris observed that Brass had stopped briefly with Sara. He and Nick were side by side with their cell phones doing some kind of exchange of information. It was concluded quickly so the men could resume their close dancing but still left Iris puzzled.

She let it go and commented to Grissom, "I can see why Sara would want to monopolize your only dancing with her."

"Well, I can only attribute that to her good taste," Grissom smiled wryly, going so far as to dip Iris low.

"Hey, hey, Gil, don't be a tough act to follow, okay?" Brass protested with a false scowl while he showed that he too could dip while a willingly supple Sara allowed it.

. . . .

The skies were just starting to turn a rich purple blue of dusk as the Deep River band finished its last song. Grissom and his group had piled into the Excursions to head to the King's Beach State Park to watch the fireworks, where Toreth had a friend who'd reserved them prime watching space. The Mayor of Truckee was on hand as he took his place behind a podium with microphone. "Testing one, two, three. I'd to welcome all of our visitors to the Truckee Fourth Festival. We've now reached the countdown time for the fireworks show to begin."

Pre-recorded patriotic music was playing in the background as the mayor went on, "Okay, I need everyone's help, especially the kids, as we count down: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and…"

The crowd roared, "ONE!"

As the fireworks show began with a spectacular pattern of choreographed aerial explosions and color, the music shifted to a mix of rock and pop as the mayor encouraged anyone who wanted to dance to do so.

Those in the CSI group that wanted to continued the slow dancing they'd all been reveling in all evening. Iris found Brass swaying her to the music while she leaned into him and savored the close contact she was growing content having with him. He bent down to say into her ear, "Come and dance with me beneath the dragon's breath, Iris."

She pulled back and he saw the expression of shock in her face as the latest round of fireworks illuminated the crowd below. He took her by the arm and walked her away from their group toward a concession stand, leaving the others to think they were getting refreshments.

"Iris, did I saw something wrong? I just remembered how mysterious you were when you said that the other day. It just seemed the thing to say here and now. Did I mess up?" Brass was worried as he tried to comprehend her reaction to what he'd said.

Her brow knit into a frown as she formulated her reply. She then looked up at him with a gentle smile while her hand went up to stroke his cheek as a gesture of reassurance. "No, Jim, you didn't mess up or say something wrong. I was just taken by surprise that's all. I didn't think my flippant phrase was worth recalling."

"I do pay attention," Jim revealed with a wink.

"And so you would being the superior homicide detective you are," Iris laughed to put him at ease.

"I meant I pay attention in non-work related ways," he clarified while pulling her in for a hug. "We better get a hot dog and something to drink so we look legit going back."

The fireworks show lasted approximately an hour before concluding with a grand finale of starbursts and huge blossoms of sparkling color flooding the sky punctuated with loud booms and pops.

The Excursions quickly loaded up for the return back to the lodge house and the collective mood seemed to be one of anticipation of a repeat of the previous night's behind closed door activities. Greg would be spending the night again with Dee, while Hodges and Wendy were getting to be a coosome twosome from Iris' discrete observation. They were riding in the Excursion driven by Grissom.

"Iris, what's for breakfast tomorrow?" Hodges leaned forward to ask because he and Wendy had called dibs on the furthest back seat.

"Well, I'm doing **all** the cooking," Iris said and Hodges understood her words with their in between meaning. "I'm leaning toward pancakes, bacon-egg-cheese omelets or egg-cheese omelets wrapped in tortillas, hash-brown casserole and fresh fruit."

"How early did you get up to cook?" Grissom asked.

"Um, I guess it was around 5:30 or so," Iris shrugged.

"That's too damn early unless we're on an out-call at work," Jim interjected.

"I didn't hear you complaining about the hour of preparation this morning while you were eating," Iris returned.

Brass said nothing and let his satisfied smile answer for him.

"You sure you don't want help? Knock on our door on your way down and I'll get up," Sara insisted.

"Well, I'm predicting no one will want to willingly leave their comrade sleeping alone, so it's all good and I truly don't mind," Iris assured them all.

"Don't be a martyr!" Jim growled in her ear.

"I'm not. Admit it! Everyone else in the group is going to have another night of …um…don't bother knockin' if the bed's a rockin'. No one's going to feel like cooking a breakfast," Iris disagreed with him soto voce.

"You might not feel like it either," Brass said mysteriously.

Iris gulped, wondering what he meant by that.

. . . . .

"Thanks, girl, I appreciate you doing this for us! Uh, I'm headed upstairs so good night," Nick said hurriedly as he was the last person to leave his wet clothes with Iris. She'd told everyone in advance she'd do quick load of laundry if the wet things from the lake were left with her in the utility room. Knowing what awaited Nick, she couldn't blame the Texan CSI for being in a rush. She shut the washer lid after adding the detergent and walked into the living area. Not a soul in sight and she looked up the stairway at the closed doors. Only the loft bedroom door was still open. Her heart fluttered at the sight of it, let alone the thought of her sharing a bed with Jim Brass another night. As she headed upstairs, each step caused the feeling of her tummiflies to get more intense. She shut the loft bedroom door behind her and saw Jim wasn't in bed and the sheer curtains to the deck door were blowing gently in the night breeze. She heard music playing faintly outside and her curiosity was raised.

As Iris stepped onto the deck, Jim corralled her to seize her hand and immediately started to lead her in a very slow dance. He liked her surprised look as he said, "So you going to let me perform mouth to mouth resuscitation that you claimed you didn't need earlier today?"

"Only if you're certified at it," Iris returned saucily.

"Screw certified I'm a master at it," Brass chuckled.

A soft yellow flood light bulb illuminated the desk with a warm glow that mimicked the full moon above them. The music was playing from his Apple Iphone as Brass told her, "You know there's a sequel to that song you sang so well tonight."

"Oh, pray tell, what is it?" Iris said with interest.

Brass turned up the volume on the Iphone as "_Take Me Home Tonight_" played:

_"I feel a hunger. It's a hunger that tries to keep a man awake at night. Are you the answer? I shouldn't wonder when I feel you whet my appetite. With all the power you're releasing, it isn't safe to walk the city streets. Anticipation is running through me. Let's find the key and turn this engine on."_

Jim proved to be a very smooth dipper to Iris, ranking right there with Grissom, as he brought her slowly back up to nuzzle her cheek before his lips slid to her neck as the song continued: _"I can feel you breathe. I can feel your heartbeat faster. Take me home tonight! I don't want to let you go till you see the light! Take me home tonight! Listen honey just like Ronnie sang: Be my little baby! I get frightened in all this darkness. I get nightmares. I hate to sleep alone."_

"I have to agree with the song here, I hate to sleep alone now," Brass said with a husky growl in her ear.

The song went on: _"I need some company. A guardian angel to keep me warm when the cold winds blow! I can feel you breathe. I can feel your heartbeat faster. Be my little baby! Just like Ronnie sang. I say just like Ronnie sang: Be my little baby, my darling."_

"Wow, what a way to segue wave," Iris said, impressed.

"I'd like to think you're my guardian angel," Brass grinned and then started a new song on his Iphone. It was a country song and it made her look of astonishment at Brass all the more humorous to the homicide detective. "Your face is asking me these questions: Since when do you dig country tunes? Who told you I like this one?"

"Uh, yes, pretty close," Iris replied.

"I asked Nick back at the dance to tell me favorite recent country tunes with certain questions in mind. Come on, I have it on repeat so we can enjoy it in full," Jim wanted her close and found Iris was agreeable to that while they danced and listened to the song "_History in the Making_" (sung by Darius Rucker):

_"Don't move Baby Don't move. Awww look at you. I just want to take this in. The moonlight dancing off your skin. Our time lets take our time. I just want to look in your eyes and catch my breath, cuz I just got a feeling. This could be one of those memories. We want to hold on to, cling to, one we can't forget. Baby, this could be our last first kiss, the door to forever. What if this was that moment? That chance worth taking. History in the making."_

"Are we making history?" Iris asked fully while stroking the wattle beneath Brass' chin.

"Oh, yeah, count on it," Brass smiled at her before he took her in a slow twirl about the deck floor.

"Inside, baby inside, can you feel the butterflies?" Darius sang behind them.

"Jim, did you know you've always given me butterflies," Iris disclosed quietly.

"I've been known to have that effect on women," Jim chuckled while the song played on:

_"Floating all around, Cuz I can sure feel them now. Tonight, maybe tonight, is a start of a beautiful ride that will never end. And baby I've got a feeling this could be one of those memories. We want to hold on to, cling to, one we can't forget. Baby, this could be our last first kiss, the door to forever. What if this was that moment, that chance worth taking, history in the making. Right here, right now, holding you in my arms. This could be one of those memories we want to hold on to, we want to cling to. One that we can't forget. Baby, this could be our last first kiss, the door to forever. What if this was that moment? That chance worth taking, history in the making."_

During the line of "_Baby, this could be our last first kiss_", Brass stopped and took Iris' face in his hands. He tilted his head just so as he told her in a gruff whisper, "Iris, I'm sorry for earlier today at the beach. You know that wasn't like me and I still can't explain why. If I could do it over I'd of meant for it to happen this way."

With that, his lips took hers gently and he found them to be as expected, warm and cushiony beneath his. The kiss while cautious at first rapidly became more involved in its intensity. It became open-mouthed and he found her yielding to him. Time stood still for them it seemed until fireworks lit up the sky over nearby Donner Lake and distracted them a moment.

"So am I hired for doing all your future resuscitatin'?" He rubbed noses with her while one hand slid to her upper chest where he felt the wild beating of her heart.

In her mind's eye, Iris imagined she stood on the edge of a cliff like a romance novel's heroine, daring to take this possible romantic leap of faith.

"The line of resuscitating candidates forms to the left," she giggled.

"No dice, I sent the rest packing. I don't compete," Jim griped in a no-nonsense way.

"You know you have perfect taste for the content of that song as to the current situation," Iris complimented.

"Well, if it please the court, I'd like to submit into evidence the second song," he left her briefly to go to his Iphone and select the next song. Iris joined him in their continued slow waltz about the deck. As it started, she looked up at and he liked the sparkle of approval he saw there in those dark doe eyes while he let Dierks Bentley speak for him with _"I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes": "Girl, I've been waitin' on this long hard day to get over so I can rest my head right here on your shoulder. I just wanna lay here and feel ya breathe. Listen to the rhythm of your heartbeat and see where it leads. We're wide awake but girl I wanna make you close your eyes. And say my name like only you can say it and hold me tight."_

Brass did hold her tight and close, feeling her shiver against him and found it caused a delicious tingle in him from head to toe. Iris had her own suppleness he found as he dipped her and placed a lingering kiss at the hollow of her throat when he brought her back up.

_"All I need is only you and me alone tonight. I wanna make you close your eyes. Oh yeah, I wanna make you close your eyes. You can make me work for it girl if you want to. Just leave a trail for me to follow you into the bedroom. And if you need a little bit of help from me, babe, there's not a button that I can't reach. Let's see where it leads. I wanna take you somewhere out there 'til the world fades out of sight. We're wide awake but girl I wanna make you close your eyes and say my name like only you can say it and hold me tight, just hold me tight._  
_All I need is only you and me alone tonight, yeah. I wanna make you close your eyes."_

"I want this with you, Iris, and not just for tonight. I want it to be special between us. So, I wanna make you close your eyes. Can I?" Brass whispered hopefully into her ear and felt her nod to the affirmative between kisses that continued all throughout the song and when it ended Brass had guided them over to the Iphone so he could shut it off. He'd had to bend over to get the phone and on straightening up his audible grunt of pain couldn't be concealed.

"Jim, is your back bothering you?" Iris scrutinized, seeing how he hunched his back to one side.

"Yeah, I kind of tweaked it earlier today when I jumped in the water to look for you and the day's been real active for an old dog like me," Brass said bluntly.

"Old dog, my foot, you're just sore, that's all. Come on inside where I can do something about it," Iris admonished and took his hand.

"The cure could be either a lap dance or a happy ending of some sort," Jim proposed with crooked grin.

"Well, I did promise to give you the massage of your life when we were leaving the grocery store. However, I can't control your physical responses otherwise," Iris informed him straight-faced.

"I'll take care of that department," Jim laughed.

"Give me a minute to get ready to sleep while you change out here," Iris ordered and took her baby doll pajamas into the bathroom.

When she emerged a few minutes later, Brass was resting comfortably on the bed looking at some sports scores on his Iphone. He was in his sleeveless T shirt and boxers. Iris sat down beside him, holding a jar in her hands. "Ready to be rubbed the right way?"

"All my life," he joked back at her.

"Take off your shirt and lay on your stomach, please," Iris requested.

"I like the direction this is headed in," Brass continued to joke as he complied.

Iris rolled her eyes and started to apply the yam cream to his upper back like she had earlier in the day. "You might wonder how it is I know how to do this. I took a basic massage therapy course during my nursing school classes to help pay tuition. Over the years I took some additional classes to expand my knowledge in the therapy techniques."

She could gauge from his oohs and aahs to soft grunts that she was indeed rubbing him the right way and then asked him to turn onto his back. Brass did so and looked up at her thoughtfully before asking with a smirk, "Would you be willing to dress up in a sexy nurse outfit to fulfill every guy's wish of the hot nurse fantasy?"

"Me…a hot nurse?" Iris gave a self-deprecating snort at the visual image her mind created.

"Yeah, who says you're not?" Brass demanded.

"Wow, that's the most romantic thing that's ever been said to me or asked of me," Iris leaned down to rub noses playfully.

"Not good enough, babe," Brass shook his head to sneak a kiss instead.

Iris resumed her slow and methodical massage of his torso, arms, legs and even feet. "I'm giving your feet a workout in reflexology."

"Oh, well, you've got my other reflexes working out too," Brass nearly moaned at how great the foot massage was making him feel head to toe. "What's in that stuff?"

"The main ingredient's wild yam but it's a custom made blend I have prepared that includes other organic elements," Iris replied as had him sit up so she could pay special attention to his shoulders again.

"Some secret sauce, eh?" Brass uttered with a low oof.

"Um, something like that. Gee, all I need are some marshmallows to top you off with and I'd eat you up 'cuz you smell just like candied yams. You'd be very yummy," Iris gave a disappointed sigh while making lip-smacking sounds.

"So what's stopping you?" Brass grinned up at her.

"Ahem, now in the morning you need to take a warm shower to maximize the relaxing effect of this," Iris instructed and ignored his question.

"You take a shower with me and that will maximize the relaxing effect," Brass said suggestively and followed this by pulling her to him. He lay under her while her surprised doe eyes met his amused blue ones. "I figured you'd like it on top!"

"What're you up to?" Iris finally sputtered.

"I promise you get to find out," Brass pledged and a long kiss followed during which his hand went to her chest and again felt her thudding heart and he stopped. "Iris, I don't want to if you don't want to."

He saw confusion in her eyes for only a flash of a second between heartbeats that was replaced by that soft warm gaze he could wrap up in like a blanket. She put his arms about her and nestled to him. "I want to Jim but can we take it slow and gentle at first. I've got a lot of catching up to do and need you to give me a refresher course."

He rolled them over with a throaty chuckle. "I get to drive, okay?"

She looked up at him, her face the picture of trust, as she replied, "Access granted."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Saturday morning and the alarm clock's drone, though muted, was insistent and demanding, Brass rolled over to smack the electronic bejesus out of it and found that Iris' side of the bed was empty. She had have already slipped downstairs to do breakfast and thought she'd turned the alarm down he reasoned but it hadn't been turned down fully. He lay back with a gratified smile as he recalled what they'd shared through the night and repeatedly so. The refresher course he'd given her as she called it he could say she'd graduated magna cum laude or Lordy he thought with an outward deep chuckle. He'd been with other women before but with Iris the art of loving had taken on dimensions he'd never considered. He heard the door knob turning and quickly feigned sleep.

Iris quietly entered the room, cracking the door just enough so that the light would allow her to set down the breakfast tray she carried but not hit Brass in the eye. Jim was "snoring" and she found it to be so cute, then her cheeks flushed as she too recalled what had occurred in here between them during the night. Brass had had to smother her cries more than once with a well-placed kiss. Who knew he'd gotten such a vocal response from her. She set the tray on the night stand and bent over to see if she could awaken him. "Jim," she said softly.

"Rumpf," was the unintelligible response.

"Hon, I left you some coffee and cinnamon toast for a snack before breakfast. Go on and sleep though," Iris said softly began to stand up when quick as a flash Brass seized her and pulled her into bed to pin her.

"That was a low-down…underhanded…dirty…rotten…," Iris protested, wriggling to displace him before giving up.

"And?" Jim asked with a toothy grin.

"Brilliantly executed tactical maneuver," Iris finished with a giggle.

"Whatever it takes to get you into the sack," he leered down at her. "That was some lovin', touchin' and squeezin' last night!"

"Journey fan, eh?" Iris asked, noting the song of the same name.

"I am," Brass declared.

"Well, food is one way to a man's heart, so I suppose the same holds true for intimate activities," Iris reasoned and added. "You do have a little snack here though like I said."

"I could make a little snack of you instead," he nibbled her neck gently.

"Oh, tempting, my dear, but I need to get back downstairs and I don't have time to take another shower if we, uh, you know. And I did keep my promise of cinnamon sugar on top with the toast if you'll notice," Iris sighed as Brass took a few bites of toast.

"You take one quiet shower, woman, because I never woke up. I'll take a rain check but what you brought is hitting the spot," Jim told her after adding creamer and sugar to his coffee. "Look, let me come down and help out 'cuz the rest of 'em will be sleeping till the last minute if they had even a fraction of the night we did."

Even in the partial light, he saw the rosy pink blush in her cheeks. "Are you embarrassed…about us…about what happened?"

"Oh, heavens no, Jim, my senses are still singing at how magical it was between us. I know you've been with others and perhaps their being more seasoned than I would make me fall short of the mark," Iris confessed slowly.

"Don't you do that…compare yourself to another," Jim chided her with a growl. "No one could've been more loving and giving than you were last night."

"Better finish your breakfast, see you downstairs," Iris said brusquely and left after a quick peck on his cheek.

Jim pondered what had caused her to leave so quickly but absently munched on the toast and drank his coffee as he mused the matter over. During their mutual exploration of what pleased the other, Jim had discovered Iris was totally ticklish which he had used to his advantage repeatedly. Once while he was kissing her belly button, he felt her writhe against him and then told her what he had in mind as he drew a line going down from her belly button. She suddenly caught his hand and said if he minded waiting. Brass was a bit surprised but he respected what only caused the anticipation factor to peg beyond what existing technology could register.

. . . . .

The sun was up enough to send peek through blinds and curtains, causing the rest of the lodge inhabitants to either take advantage of one last chance of early morning loving with their bed mate or drag one's butt out of bed to get first dibs on a shower or bath in.

When Jim had gone to take his shower, he saw the bath sponge Iris used where it hung out of the way to dry and said to it enviously, "I wish I had your job full time." Brass found he was the first to come downstairs and heard singing coming from the kitchen. Jim grinned as he recognized the song. Coming into the kitchen, he saw that Iris was barefoot and swaying side to side as she worked on scrambled eggs and turned bacon. She was dressed in another Dallas Stars T shirt and jeans. Brass thought he was getting his own little show and slipped over to the table that was only set with two large bowls of different types of fresh fruit.

Iris covered the large platter of scrambled eggs and another one of bacon and turning to take them to the table nearly dropped everything as the sight of Jim startled her.

"Jim Brass! We nearly had upside down bacon-egg surprise," Iris scolded as he chuckled at her expense.

"Naw, the surprise would've been me having you for breakfast and getting caught when the others came down," Brass snickered.

"Getting caught doing what?" Nick yawned while he came in to sit down followed by Alicia.

Iris was quick to mask her panic at what Jim might say and took the offensive. "Jim was going to set the table and didn't want to get caught doing woman's work."

Brass turned to give her a cocked eyebrow but saw the pleading look in her eyes and shrugged, "Yeah, I can't set a table worth a damn, ask any of the women I've been with."

Iris' lips pursed into a small "O" shape as Nick started to laugh. "I know what you mean Brass man, most guys aren't worth a hang doing something froufrou like that."

Alicia glared at Nick and got up to stand by Iris. "This table won't set itself! What can I help with?"

As Iris and Alicia tag teamed on getting the table set, Brass felt his conscience nagging and got up to help bring the food in. Nick had caught Alicia's disapproving gaze and silently agreed with Brass that it was better to help than sit on one's posterior.

Jim nearly ran into Iris as he carried the tortilla warmer, catching her to keep her from losing her balance by placing an arm around her waist, while she'd tried to get out of his way. He liked her warm look up at him as she giggled, "Access granted." He could tell this was going to be a catch phrase between them.

"Thanks for the assistance. I'm just keeping things warm for when the others come down so go ahead and help yourselves. There's plenty to go around," Iris said and went back to the stove to get more eggs, bacon and flour tortillas going.

The rest of the group came down during the next thirty minutes, allowing everyone to have time to shower and get dressed. Iris discretely observed the little satisfied smiles and close proximity the couples all kept, and it seemed even Wendy and Hodges had had a pleasant night together. Hands were held or surreptitiously went looking for a knee to squeeze or thigh to stroke.

"Hodges, are you making anymore cupcake brownies today?" Wendy asked innocently.

Iris was rinsing a soapy pan and the question surprised her so that it slipped from her fingers to the floor with a loud clattering bang that startled the rest of the group.

"Uh, no, I only had enough ingredients to make the one batch," Hodges fabricated his reply after glancing at Iris a moment and keeping his promise.

"A pity, those were special brownies," Ecklie mused while he felt Toreth's hand on his knee beneath the table.

Sara sought to change the subject and said drolly, "Well, I wouldn't go shining a UV light in any of the bedrooms. There's enough DNA evidence up there to keep Wendy busy for a week!"

The response from her teammates and their guests was myriad: Brass nearly choked on his orange juice; Grissom was in mid-chew of his breakfast tortilla omelet as his jaw dropped; Wendy played along to say she'd have to rig a collection kit; Hodges was pretending to clinically study his fork of food; Greg high-fived Nick and then Warrick; Toreth and Ecklie exchanged cat-that-ate-the-canary smiles; Catherine gave a very sly smile that said much; Dee and Alicia did a fist-bump; and Iris just gave a low whistle. This then erupted in a wave of collective laughter that swelled and broke over all of them to the point most had tears in their eyes.

Grissom steered his comrades to focus their attention his way. "I wanted to propose something a little different for today's activities."

"What'd you have in mind, Griss?" Catherine questioned.

"Well, I think I can speak for all of us in saying that we're having a great time here. However, I'd like to suggest us having the day to spend with the person you count as an established or potential significant other, but we all meet back at the festival for the music and then go to the big fireworks show at the West End Beach tonight," Grissom proposed.

"I like the idea. I mean don't get me wrong it's been fun hanging out but a little R&R time would be nice," Warrick agreed.

"Just as long as I get a say in what the R&R is," Catherine interjected as Warrick hastily nodded.

"I'm in," Nick said wide smile while pulling Alicia to sit on his lap.

"What about transportation?" Greg inquired.

"Simple. We go into town in the Excursions like usual but once there everyone's on their own until we meet back up early this evening," Sara suggested.

"Easy cheesy," Hodges shrugged.

"I wouldn't mind a slower pace today myself," Brass piped up.

Iris hadn't joined in and had been busying herself with soaking dishes while listening intently to the team's conversation.

"Iris, what's your take?" Grissom asked, wanting to be sure all the team was heard.

She wiped her hands on a dish towel to come stand in the vicinity of but not right by Brass. "I think it's a grand idea and will afford one and all the liberty to spend some very special time with one another."

"It's settled. We leave in thirty minutes," Grissom adjourned them.

. . . . .

On arriving at the Truckee square, the group was anxious to splinter off as Grissom had given his benediction to do so. Toreth left with Ecklie to go by her vendor tent that was being watched over by one of her friends so it could leave her free for them to have together time. A more than willing Greg was going with Dee to her car so they could go the carnival, Dee having announced that she had the night off from the Vintage Vibes to Greg's patent delight. Alicia's parents had called her that they were dropping by to visit for the day, so she asked if Nick minded being introduced on short notice. Iris knew Nick was quite ensconced by Alicia's charms when he heartily agreed. A shop on the square that caught Wendy and Hodges' interest was called "Remember When" and boasted a superior collection of all things sci-fi. They went in the hopes of finding "Astro Quest" memorabilia. Warrick, Catherine, Grissom and Sara were going to take a river rafting trip on the nearby Truckee River.

"Jim, it that sounds like fun, wanna go?" Iris asked hopefully.

"I had something else in mind if you're game," Jim smiled secretively.

"Okay, I'm your girl," she volunteered with a raised hand.

"Remember **you** said that," he said pointedly.

"Access granted," she replied, causing Brass to give her a crooked smile.

Grissom gave them an odd look, wondering about the hidden meaning of the words between his CSI and best friend.

After watching everyone else scatter, Iris turned expectantly toward Brass who just took her hand as they started to walk toward the square. "What do you have in mind for the time we hang out together?"

"There's supposed to be a classic car and motorcycle show on the other side of the square. I never miss 'em in Vegas, so do you mind checking it out with me?" Brass asked with the hopeful look of a little boy.

"I'm so there! My favorite car was a Wimbledon white '67 Mustang fastback that I had to give up," Iris said nostalgically.

"Why'd you have to let it go?" Brass was curious.

"It needed more repairs than I could afford and it killed me to have to turn loose of it," she said candidly.

"That sucks," Jim was sympathetic.

"What was your favorite ride?" Iris returned.

"Geez, it'd have to be a Kawasaki K1000 I had years ago. I also had to let it go and regretted it ever since," Jim disclosed with a fond look.

"My gosh, so you ride too! You ought to consider getting another bike! We could take a ride somewhere, me on my Kaw and you on your dream bike. It would so rock," Iris coaxed.

"If we went on a ride, you'd be riding double with me and definitely on a Harley," Brass declared.

"You're on," Iris agreed.

"There it is," Jim pointed just before the carnival where a parking lot had several new and vintage cars, trucks and motorcycles. People were walking around admiring the variety of two and four wheel modes of transport. Brass' pace quickened in anticipation but Iris being shorter was used to compensating as her steps matched his.

The closest Jim could find to his lost dream bike was a restored California Highway Patrol K1000 motorcycle. He spent a few minutes talking to the owner who turned out to be a retired CHP officer. They commiserated amiably being fellow law enforcement officers.

"Yeah, Erik Estrada, too much of a pretty boy but he could ride," Jim laughed while he shook hands with the owner and gave him his business card. "If you're ever in Vegas, give me a shout."

Iris was looking over an older Kawasaki 440 LTD the same year as hers parked next to the CHP bike while Jim wrapped his conversation up. She pointed at it when he was through. "Jim, this one is like mine which is black."

"Nice," Brass nodded and looked past her. "I see something I think we need to check out."

"Sure, just a minute okay?" Iris stopped them as they went by a horse drawn carriage with two large white draft horses standing idly enjoying the sun. She scratched under each chin while she huffed gently into their nostrils to greet them. She reasoned it'd be her only chance to be around horse flesh during the team getaway. The carriage driver could tell this was a horse lover. "These are matched cremello draft cross geldings who are brothers."

"They look about 17 hands and are gorgeous," Iris guessed while Brass patted each horse on the chest.

"Are you wanting to take a carriage ride? I can take you out as far as five miles to some real pretty scenery by the lake," the driver offered.

"That'd be so nice," Iris sighed half to herself.

"We can't right now but are you around later?" Jim asked.

"Yes until evening when the fireworks are going off because some couples like to ride during then because it gets the romantic juices going," the driver laughed.

"We'll keep it in mind," Jim promised her but Iris got the impression it wasn't on his to do list if such existed. She let it go because whatever they did together would be just as fun she had no doubt.

Walking hand-in-hand, Jim led them to where an impressive Mustang stood out that had been garnering a steady stream of admirers. There was a lull in people at the moment, Brass seeing this as the time to really look over the storied muscle car inside and out and particularly under the hood. The owner slouched comfortably in a collapsible camp chair munching away on Reese's Pieces. Iris had wide eyes that roamed over the car in a covetous manner that Jim found humorous as he whispered to her, "Lusting's a bad one in the good book."

She made a face at him before resuming her close scrutiny of the vehicle.

"Handsome car," Brass declared to the owner.

"Thanks, man, too many people have been calling this stud beautiful when it's a beast," the owner smiled who then shook Jim's hand as he introduced himself, "Joe Perkins."

"Jim Brass. You sound like you're from New York," Brass observed.

"You got that right, Bronx-born and bred," Joe replied proudly, pointing to his T shirt that said "New York Yankees...Any Questions?"

"I'm from Newark originally. Brother, this was made to tear the road up," Brass agreed with a whistle and disclosed as if the car just hit the dealership show room: "A customized 2010 Mustang convertible with a signature Yankees pinstripe paint job and logo, a 4.6L V-8 engine, an automatic transmission, interior blue lighting throughout, 19-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, ambient interior lighting, convertible top, leather interior, Shaker 500 AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo system, anti-lock brakes with traction control, Ford cold air induction system, side airbags, and power seats."

Iris' mouth dropped open as she heard Brass' discourse on the car before he saw her smile of approval and admiration.

"You gotta be a 'Stang man?" laughed Joe.

"Top of my list," Jim admitted and jerked a thumb toward Iris who was now checking out the engine, "stands to reason I'm with a total Pony Girl."

"Your wife's a nice combination of cute and busty," Joe commented with an assessing glance at Iris. "The ones who know they're lookers you can't get away from a mirror."

"Uh, we're not married, just good friends," Brass clarified quickly.

"Oh? Could've fooled me, guy. You two seemed real comfortable together so naturally I assumed she was yours. I'd call her a keeper though," Joe remarked.

"I would too," Brass concurred.

"Well, here's the story on the car. Even though I'm retired from Wall Street and living here in the Lake Tahoe area, I heard about this bad ass was being offered for auction in Connecticut. I flew back and won the car and had it shipped here. It's never going to know what a New York winter's like. The engine has less than 1,000 miles on it. It's always going to be a California Bronx Bomber," Joe said.

"Had to set you back a bit," Jim speculated.

"My bank account took a hit but it's been worth it. The ladies just line up," Joe said with a wink.

"You must like Joe Torre for when he was their skipper," Iris now joined them as she pointed to the personalized license plate of "NYTORRE."

"My favorite manager," Joe confirmed with a nod.

Iris went back to checking the interior of the car out now as Brass stepped close to Joe to privately talk to him. "Would you be willing to rent the car for a few hours?"

"You looking to score with her? Impress her?" Joe questioned, looking again at Iris but this time her posterior.

"Hell, no, she's classy but I do want to take her for a scenic drive and this would be the ticket, so how much?" Jim got out his wallet.

Joe gave Iris a long stare while Jim waited patiently. He turned to Brass, "I need a copy of your driver's license and you better be insured out the wazoo. No charge. I can tell she's worth it to you."

"I'll be right back," Jim said. "Hey, Iris, I gotta head over to the Kinko's on the square a minute."

"I'll come along," she said.

"Naw, continue to lust over the Mustang," he told her and walked off.

Joe seated himself back in his chair as Iris joined him. "Hmm, that's strange, what does he need at Kinko's?"

"Got me," Joe fibbed and offered her some Reese's Pieces.

Brass returned fifteen minutes later during which time Joe and Iris had a pleasant conversation on the topic of Mustangs at large. "Hey, Jim, could Joe take a picture of us with the Mustang? I've got my camera with me."

"I don't mind," Joe told them as Iris handed him her camera. Brass handed him some folded papers.

Jim got into the driver's seat and Iris in the passenger seat and had Iris lean willingly close to him. Joe took a moment to scan the paperwork and his eyebrows rose because Brass had copied his driver's license and his badge which he was never without.

"Look cozy," Joe instructed as he took the picture while Jim slipped an arm around Iris.

Joe then leaned down to Brass with a conspiratory wink, "Here's the keys, see you later…Detective."

"What's going on?" Iris gasped at them.

"Taking this bad boy for a spin thanks to Joe," Jim replied and started the motor which roared to life, eliciting large grins from the men. "Now that's what I'm talking about!"

Iris' stunned look was a mixture of surprise and admiration at Brass that he was basking in as they left parking area. "Iris, I'm going without a map, so what happens if we get lost?"

"I'd say I'm in good hands and realized that in particular last night. Access granted yet again, hon," Iris grinned adventurously as she laid her head on his shoulder and slid her arm around his elbow.

Brass turned on the radio to find a station playing 70's songs that he kept on heading up a road that ran parallel with the nearby lake. A thought came to him spontaneously that led him to ask, "Iris, you told me on the plane trip that you don't have a passport but if you did where would you go?"

She pulled down her sunglasses to peer at him a moment because of the nature of the question. "Oh, that's easy and I can recite the brochure from memory: From the metropolis of Toronto to the serenity of Lake Louise in Vancouver, the Across Canada by Train trip fills your desire for the energy of big cities, as well as the peacefulness of nature. As you travel across the country by train, you see firsthand how diverse Canada's spectacular scenery really is. And with plenty of time to relax in the Canadian Rockies, you won't miss any of Canada's natural beauty during 13 days and 12 nights."

Brass was immediately intrigued by her choice of trip and its method of transportation. "How come you never went?"

"My Canada trip has been a dream for many years. I wanted to take my honeymoon that way but David refused. He totally ridiculed my idea and in retrospect it would've been wasted for the romantic ideas I had in mind. I've always wanted to make love on a train with its swaying rhythm and all. Oh, me, I'm babbling…sorry," Iris became flustered and her cheeks turned a rosy pink.

"Sounds like you and David were mismatched from the get go and he didn't merit having someone like you," Brass opined.

"We married for the wrong reasons, him to keep his parents happy and me to have a family and home, only to find out after the I do's were said that he wanted a wife just for show and tell. I tried to be all he wanted and more thinking he might eventually want a family. I was so stupid and then strange women would call looking for him or I'd find other evidence," Iris disclosed sadly.

"Damn, he wanted an open marriage then? I don't see you going for that," Brass was surprised.

"I said vows I meant to keep but things were deteriorating between us. The fighting got uglier and uglier, so I decided to ask for a divorce. Coming from parents who divorced when I was eight and seeing them go on to have two more failed marriages apiece made me feel I was repeating their pattern. I despaired I'd ever try to marry again, but then David was murdered just as I was looking into serving divorce papers. I then had to deal with the guilt of that plus the trauma of his death. Even though it was life-changing in making me change professions and eventually my move to Vegas, besides that mess with Max Schneider, I think it's one of the best things that's happened to me. I've feel like the team's my second family and you're part of that too," Iris finished and patted his arm, a gesture she frequently used to communicate her affection for him.

Jim recalled the shock he'd had when Grissom had informed the CSI team that Iris was joining them, not from her hire but from her being the only survivor of the Dallas FTD serial killer, a fact about her she preferred not to have as common knowledge. Her testimony at former homicide detective and friend Max Schneider's trial as a secret witness which protected her identity had culminated in his commitment to a hospital for the criminally insane for treatment after being judged not guilty by reason of insanity. If he was ever determined to be lucid, he faced immediate trial. Brass knew they each had their battle scars.

"You know my daughter, Ellie?" Jim asked casually.

"Yes, I met her once the last time she came to see you in the hallway near your office. I remembered her from the other picture you have in your office. It was very brief. I told her hello and introduced myself and said I worked with you as one of the CSI's," Iris recalled. "She was in a hurry and mumbled something close to nice to meet you and stalked up the hall."

"Here's the thing. I'd gladly lay my life down for her, I love her that much, but she spits on what I do and what I stand for. I think that's part of the reason she drugs and sells herself. You saw her the last time I did. Another big fight demanding I make her beneficiary on my pension which she'd piss away in no time flat what it took me a lifetime to work for. My body'd still be warm on a slab somewhere and she'd be demanding her dough," Brass said with a distressed look that reflected in the lines around his eyes and mouth. Iris could only imagine the anguish his blue eyes would have mirrored there.

"She'll always be your little girl even when she's being anything but. You love her with the heart of a father and that'll never change, even when you have to tell her no for her own good. You'll always be there and one day she'll appreciate that when she really needs you," Iris declared firmly.

What Brass said next shocked him as much as it did Iris when he confided, "Ellie's not mine. Someone else got that honor with Nancy."

They were driving by a more secluded part of the large lake and Iris pointed to some shade trees and ordered, "Pull over now!"

Jim complied and slowed the Mustang to a stop beneath a shady overhang of limbs while he attempted a joke, "I hope no birds are doing target practice."

Iris pulled off her sunglasses and switched to her regular ones before she took his hands in hers to further address the subject that caused her friend such a turbulent mix of emotions but that he would entrust her with such knowledge touched her more than she could say. "I don't think you'd share that with everyone, Jim, and I'm humbled you did so with me. You're her father in all ways and genetics doesn't guarantee a good parent. We see that at work all the time. I pray one day she'll see that and come around. You're a dad and that's one of the greatest things a man can be. Come on, walk with me."

He put up the top and clicked the remote to engage the lock and alarm. They strolled down a well-worn nearby path that led them to a secluded little glade cushioned with pine needles that were fragrant beneath their feet. "Wow, a little slice of heaven here," Jim said and continued. "You really meant it about me being a dad."

"Yes, you love **the child of your heart **unconditionally in spite of the heartache that such love causes. I wish I could say or do something to ease it," Iris stressed softly and placed her hand over his heart.

"You know I didn't expect this deepening in our friendship to happen but I'm grateful for it. I'm glad you're with me," Jim told her and folded her in his arms to lay her head on his chest.

Iris heard his casual clarification of their association between each other and averted her eyes so he wouldn't see what truly reflected in them. She mutely nodded against his chest so he would accept her silent assent. After a long hug, she pulled away to put on her sunglasses and put her others in her purse. She gave him a playful tweak on his nose to keep the mood light, "You sure you want to get lost with the likes of me?"

"Who knows we might end up in Canada," Brass kidded her, taking her hand in his.

"Sure, Canada or bust," Iris proclaimed. She'd brought a blanket with her that she spread out on top of the pine needles as she plopped down.

Brass joined her and stretched out with folded his hands behind his head and then shut his eyes. "A little siesta never hurt anyone."

Iris tickled his nose with a blade of grass. "You want to sleep?"

Jim opened one eye at her, seeing the mischievous sparkle in hers. Iris found herself willingly pinned as he laughed in her ear, "In a bit." With that, he started an intense make out session that left Iris dizzy and him able to take a cat nap. She even dozed a little while herself.

"Well, the Mustang remained unscathed from any aerial bombing runs," Jim said with a grateful nod at the sky as they got in and he had the top retract back.

"How long do I get the privilege of riding shotgun with you?" Iris asked in a flirtatious way as she made sure her Dallas Stars ball cap was on snugly.

"Huh, like what, marriage or something?" Brass sounded suddenly skittish.

"Settle down, tiger, I wasn't proposing to you, I meant riding around with you," Iris snickered.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that, I like having you ride shotgun," Jim clarified with a sheepish look.

"No worries," Iris assured him.

"If anything I'm planning to drive you crazy later tonight," he said suggestively,  
"hang on!"

"Woohoo!" Iris hollered, holding onto the bill of her ball cap as Jim hit the gas and swung a little gravel, kicking up a cloud of dust as the Mustang roared up the road.

. . . . .

Sara came back to Grissom from where the rest of the group had eventually assembled. Her cell calls to Brass and Iris had all gone to voicemail. Her concern came through in her voice, "Griss, neither of them are answering and we don't know where they went for the afternoon. I figured at least Iris would pick up."

"They're adults, Sara, I'm sure they'll be along in time," Grissom reassured her with his quiet smile.

To Sara's relief, Brass and Iris did arrive not too long thereafter as they casually strolled up to the group by the stage where the Deep River band was starting to play. Alicia was showing a quick lesson in a new line dance to the rest of the group that Grissom didn't to miss and crooked his finger at Sara to come learn the steps.

Jim did stop Sara long enough to tell her, "Tell Gil that Iris and I are calling it a night. She doesn't know it but I've made arrangements to have a horse drawn carriage take us back to the lodge just before it gets too dark."

"Jim, you sly romantic devil! You two are really becoming a quick item," Sara said with an approving smile.

"Sara, I just want to show her a nice time and we aren't an item, just good friends like I've had to say more than once today," Jim protested.

"Okay, if you say so," Sara before she gave him a fast hug, "You know I believe Iris likes you more than she's letting on."

"I'll act like I didn't hear that," Jim said abashed.

Iris was listening to the band when Jim took her by the arm, "I'm saying we get outta here and head back to the lodge."

"But the fireworks show?" Iris asked with a slight frown.

"I have an intimate last night here planned for us and it starts now," Jim said and gave a loud piercing whistle.

Iris gasped as the horse drawn carriage they'd talked to the driver of that she had secretly admired with its matched cremello team approached with the ringing of the shod hooves against the street pavement. The horses halted in front of them. The driver tipped his hat to them, "May I have the honor of taking you to the Lazy Bear Lodge, sir and madam?"

"Yeah, pal, and don't spare the horses," Brass quipped and slipped the driver a very generous tip before he helped Iris step up into the carriage and he followed.

"As you say, sir!" The drive again tipped his hat and obliged Jim as he cracked his whip to set the horses into a brisk walk as the carriage went by the Truckee Square. Sara had alerted the rest of the group of what Brass was doing. As the carriage went past the band stage, Jim and Iris saw a flurry of waves from their friends and their companions.

"Brass, you stole my thunder!" Greg yelled.

"What'd he mean?" Brass was confused.

"Greg kidded me about he was going to take me for a carriage ride during the fireworks back before we left Vegas," Iris laughed.

"He'll live," Brass said and got comfortable with Iris and held her close.

A movie buff, Iris thought of a scene from "Romancing the Stone" and looked up at him, seemingly perplexed. "Jim, what'd I do to deserve this from you? You've been my best time."

"I'm you're best time?" Brass stammered slightly.

"Yes, you're simply the best. This is almost like a fairy tale for me," Iris replied happily and kissed his cheek. She then looked at the large silver moon climbing slowly in the eastern sky.

"You're worth it, Iris, never let anyone tell you different," Jim declared.

. . . . .

The horse drawn carriage pulled up in front of the lodge. The horses' brisk trot had brought them back in decent time just before dark. "Whoa, boys, whoa now," the driver called out to the horses that obediently slowed to a walk and then stopped.

"Thanks, be safe going back," Iris told the driver and took a moment to pat the large horses each on the neck.

"Come on, Iris, you got your horse back in Vegas," Jim reminded her and walked them inside.

In the kitchen area, Iris was headed to the refrigerator, "Jim, are you hungry? I can put something together."

"I've got dessert covered," Brass chuckled as he cornered Iris against a wall to cover her face with slow sloppy kisses.

"I'm serious, what do you want to eat?" Iris giggled.

"One guess," Jim growled and lifted her up into his arms.

"Jim, put me down!" Iris squealed in protest. "Remember your back!"

"Back, schmack," Brass ignored her continued objections as he carried her upstairs and into their loft room, kicking the door shut behind him. He gently laid her on the bed and used his full weight that he knew she could readily accommodate to keep her in place. Brass was now trying to get cozy with Iris.

She looked up at him coyly. "What are you up to?"

He nuzzled the hollow of her throat and said gruffly, "I'm attempting a Vulcan mind meld."

"Uh, I don't think it's working," Iris giggled at the "_Star Trek_" reference.

"Okay, switching to plan B, the Brass meld," Jim decided and initiated a round of passionate kisses.

"I like your type much better," Iris whispered in his ear before their melding resumed.

The alarm beside them began to drone warning of the fireworks time as Jim had set it for. Brass sighed reluctant to stop what he had going with Iris but sat up and held his hand to her as he invited her. "Come on, Iris, dance with me beneath the dragon's breath."

He saw again the stunned expression shadow her face as it had when he'd said it to her before, but it was replaced just as quickly with the soft brown-eyed gaze that he'd been the glad recipient of repeatedly these past few days as her fingers twined with his. "I've got a surprise for us."

As they walked out onto the deck, Jim hit a light switch and the deck was festooned with Chinese lanterns of pastel colors that gave a soft rainbow illumination. Brass watched her closely to see her reaction. Her hands flew to her mouth as he heard a little "oh my" escape her.

"Jim, how, when, why?" Iris finally gasped

"I had partners in crime, Toreth and Alicia and Dee, who I didn't know you had such a hand in encouraging each to pursue Ecklie and the boys," Jim chuckled.

"Uh, well, it was just a little nudge," Iris laughed weakly, holding her thumb and index finger a fraction apart.

"You women can never just nudge with your matchmaking efforts, its balls to the walls or nothing," he disagreed laughingly.

"Okay, I'll give you that," Iris allowed.

"They came here late this afternoon which is part of why we were gone for such a long drive. You can accomplish a lot while texting at Kinko's," Jim elaborated.

"I'll say. I'm genuinely impressed. The lanterns are a very nice touch," Iris said.

Just then a nearby boom was heard followed by blossoming sparks that marked the beginning of the West End Beach and they had a nearly perfect view of in spite of the trees. Jim set up his Iphone again so that they could listen to music and dance. "I liked those songs we had last night, can we hear them again?"

"Fine with me," Iris agreed.

Dancing was like breathing to Iris and having had Jim as her partner was making her wish out loud, sighing against his chest, "I could do this every night."

"How, we work graveyard?" Jim's laugh vibrated against her cheek through his chest.

"I know it's a fantasy," Iris admitted glumly.

"Tell you what, babe, once in a while we'll trip the light fantastic," Jim offered.

"That'd be nice," Iris accepted, quickly growing to like being called "babe", as her eyes tracked the series of fireworks that arced and lit up the night sky.

When the show concluded several minutes later, Iris pulled Jim to the rail so they could watch the spectacular colors and the crescendo of booms and pops. He saw her rapt child-like expression and knew she was recalling whatever it was that had been so special in her childhood that was linked to the holiday and fireworks.

"I wish she'd been right," he heard her murmur.

"Who, Iris?" he asked with a peculiar expression.

"Oh, sorry, nothing, just thinking out loud," Iris shrugged.

Jim started to say something but let it go and drew her into his arms. "You ready to go inside."

She nodded and hugged him. He was going to turn off the Chinese lanterns when Iris said, "Can they stay on, please?"

"Sure, I think it'll help our mood," Jim smiled in anticipation.

Iris changed into her baby dolls in the bathroom, came out and came to bed beside Brass who'd turned down the covers and was in his usual sleeveless T shirt and boxers. The drapes to the patio deck door were pulled open so they could see the soft glow from the Chinese lanterns.

"Jim, is every night a woman gets to spend with you like these?" Iris wondered.

"Well, sometimes the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak," he quoted with a chuckle.

Iris' hand drifted down by his upper thigh, her forearm making accidental contact in the same vicinity that confirmed his physical state. "Um, that may be sometimes but not tonight."

"You're right…better not waste the chance. Access granted?" Brass murmured between trailing kisses from cheek to neck to hollow of her throat.

"Hey, that's my line," Iris complained.

"Nope, it's **our** line and code words," Brass chuckled before getting down to business. He knew just how to get her going and tonight was going to be very special between them he'd promised himself.

A little later, Iris trembled against him and couldn't stop herself as a gasping moan escaped her followed by soft words that took Jim by surprise. They moved slightly apart as he caught her face in his hands.

"Iris, did you just say what I thought you said?" Jim tried to understand the import of what she'd just divulged.

She turned from him and only said, "I'm sorry that was hardly called for." She sat up abruptly, put on her glasses and went out to the deck without further explanation.

Brass lay there several moments trying to fathom what had just happened.

Downstairs, he could hear the arrival of the rest of the group bursting through the front door with loud laughter and other raucous comments before the eventual sounds of shutting doors concluded the night going into new morning.

Iris hadn't come back in and Jim knew the temperature was rapidly cooling outside and she'd left her robe on the bed. He pulled off the top quilt and went out to the deck. He found her huddled on the loveseat style bench with her knees drawn up to her chin. How obstinate she could be but at the same time endearing was a maddening combination to him. Brass pulled her to her feet and wrapped them both in the quilt. Her head nestled under his chin as she snuggled to him to get warm.

"I'm sorry I can't take back what I said," she whispered miserably against his chest.

"You said it for a reason. Tell me," he said simply, sitting them down on the bench while wrapped warmly in the quilt.

"When I was a kid and before my parents split up, we'd go every Fourth of July to Hannibal where my grandparents lived. My grandparents had a next door neighbor who was a widowed Chinese lady who had no grandchildren and took an immediate shine to us. She spoke Mandarin and I was fascinated by the language. She taught me her name of Mingzhu which means "bright pearl" and called me Jia Peizhi or "beautiful admiring iris." She'd often babysit us when my grandparents went out," Iris disclosed quietly.

"Sounds like a nice lady," Brass said, waiting to hear more.

"My grandparents went every Fourth of July to an adult party held on the Delta Queen Riverboat docked on the Mississippi River. Mingzhu would take us kids to where the fireworks show was also held on the riverfront. The last Fourth of July we went before my parents divorced, she told me the legend of the dragon's breath. In the Chinese folklore of her village, when the dragon's breath met air it resulted in a fiery spray of sparkling color and was a portent of things to come in a person's life that was interpreted by an elder to a younger person," she continued and in her eyes Brass could see distant memories stirring.

"Okay, I get that you decided to come here to see the fireworks and reconnect with something special when you were a kid like you've said but how does that tie in with what you said?" Brass asked patiently.

"I'm getting there I promise. Mingzhu told me that I would only find my true love dancing beneath the dragon's breath. I never saw her again because she passed away that autumn. Years later when I married David I begged him to go watch fireworks with me. He demanded to know why and ridiculed me when I told him. I knew then he'd never be my true love and I was terrified to think I had no other chance for my dream of kids and a home. That's why when you asked me to dance beneath the dragon's breath without knowing this and then playing those special songs, I just lost my heart all the way to you and that's not fair to you and so what I said was wrong," Iris' voice trailed away.

"It's not wrong to tell someone how you feel," Jim reminded her.

"Well, I just want you to know I didn't come here for a wild whoopee weekend or a casual exchange of bodily fluids convention. I'm sure you're a veteran of many back seat encounters while I come from the other end of the spectrum," Iris blurted.

"Do you now regret what's happened between us?" he asked her softly.

"No. I know you don't think I'm easy or anything like that. I didn't think I'd find the right words to say what it's meant with what we've shared. Now I've gone and said it so how will things be between us come Monday when we go back to work?" Iris said somberly.

"Where did you see things being between us then on Monday?" Jim wanted to hear all of her thoughts and feelings, bearing in mind what'd she'd told him that held such gravity.

"I've been trying to clarify to myself where we stood with each other and earlier this afternoon when you said our friendship was deepening that told me what I needed to know. So I decided to be hopeful that everyone else will have a long term relationship even with the quick start of some and that the new attachments could culminate in permanent ones. You know I'll always be a romantic with the hope of someone for everyone. The same hope goes for you to find that special someone because I know she's out there. Monday comes and we're status quo – good friends as always," Iris said, trying to convince herself as much as him, and started to pull away but Brass held her fast.

"Even with what you just said to me? Good friends as always?" Jim pressed her.

"Yes, you just happen to know you're that much more special to me but good friends we'll always be. I'm not going to turn into a green-eyed monster when you find your true Brass lass either. I'll be there cheering as your biggest supporter," Iris said with such determination it set Brass to chuckling.

"You're too cute, Velma," he said and snuggled her to him.

"Jim, please, this should stop now…the hugging and…and…the rest…let it be a delicious memory for the years to come. Time to get some shut-eye," Iris insisted and fought the feelings his closeness continued to generate.

"Do you think they're sleeping in the other rooms?" Jim speculated a moment to change the subject.

"Probably not but that hardly concerns us," Iris said and tried again to extricate herself from Jim's tight embrace before she gave in to the thoughts flying through her mind.

"Iris, tell me again what you said and I'll let you go," Jim said urgently into her ear.

It happened again and she despised her body's betraying her - thudding heart, racing pulse and faster rate of breathing. She gazed up at him as one hand stroked his cheek to jaw line and then the fleshy wattle beneath his chin that had come to be one of her favorite spots to feast on. The words slid easily from her lips just as they had before in the same throaty whisper, "I love you."

"Good to know because somewhere during all this I fell for you too," he declared with a knowing grin as he heard her shocked gasp while he also supposed. "Monday will be slightly different come to think of it because everyone'll know I've got my Brass lass."

"You waited for me to say it though!" Iris scolded half-heartedly.

"I had to know beyond a shadow of a doubt you wanted this as badly as I did. Here I'm some old dog who's suddenly blessed with this passionately loving woman in my arms who takes me as I am and doesn't try to do an extreme makeover on me. You give all of yourself without holding back. I never stood a chance against your charms and it's all confirmed by the dragon's breath," Jim brushed his lips to hers.

"Tell me I'm dreaming, that I'm going to wake up and this never was," Iris pleaded. "This sort of thing is like a fairy tale that just doesn't happen for real."

"I'm here, babe, get used to it. I'm not going anywhere except back inside because it's too damn cold out here," Jim said and bundled her up in the quilt as they went back to bed.

"Now that we have this new understanding, do I get to tuck you in?" Iris wondered.

"Actually, I was hoping to get to tuck you in," Brass countered slyly with a wink.

"Well, if this is the bottom of the ninth inning with a tied score, two outs and the winning run at the plate, it sounds like you're going for a home run?" Iris chuckled and ran a finger down his chest.

"Batter up and got my Louisville Slugger ready for action," Brass informed her with a wolfish grin.

"Oh, you don't know the pitches I've got in mind," Iris joked back.

"I do have one beef to air. You took my favorite song by Elvis and you put it with the world's worst country singer and made it your ring tone me. Nick told me," Brass complained.

"Gee, if that's the least of my transgressions, I can fix that in the morning but I still like the Dwight Yoakam version of "Suspicious Minds"," Iris promised and brushed her lips to his. "I think I'll go with "Keep on Lovin' You" by Steel Magnolias."

"Another country song?" Jim supposed.

"I like most music but country's right up there," Iris grinned.

"I'll get used to it," Jim merely smiled as he rolled her over so that she was on top and he started a swaying motion causing the bed to rock side to side.

"What're you up to?" Iris asked with raised eyebrows.

"Oh, just finding out how this'll feel with you on a train going through Canada," he revealed as Iris covered her mouth in shock.

"Close your eyes," he commanded softly. Iris did so and Brass rolled her over.  
"Keep 'em closed."

"I can't see a thing," Iris confirmed.

Brass leaned down and reached under the bed and pulled out a fresh rose that glistened with moisture. He gently traced the outline of Iris' face with the petals and smiled at her sharp intake of breath and the rose's journey continued down her neck to upper chest. "See, I can be romantic."

"I never doubted your potential, my Captain," Iris told him in a throaty whisper.

"Do you think Mingzhu would've approved of me?" Jim questioned.

"Yes, I think she would, no doubt about it, because I'd like to think she had you in mind all along," Iris answered and placed a soft kiss beside his mouth.

Their conversation thereafter was punctuated with sighs, low utterances or murmurs, taking time only for a restroom break until they had to give into sleeping for a brief while.

. . . . .

Grissom turned over and watched Sara in her sleep, he hated to wake her but it was the team's last morning at the lodge. He debated taking a shower ahead of her but they had so enjoyed the spacious shower which had generated some particularly steamy encounters. Grissom decided to be selfish and go for a triple shot.

"Sara," he kissed her ear.

"Mmmpf," she turned on her side.

"Sara," he kissed her neck.

"Mmmpf," she scrunched her shoulders at him.

"Sara," Grissom continued his relentless trail of kisses from her shoulder and his efforts were rewarded by her finally rousing enough to turn and face him.

"Griss, we didn't get that much sleep, thanks to you," Sara grumbled.

"Thanks to me? Uh, as I recall, you were the one telling me to go for it one more time," Grissom maintained.

"Point taken…seems like you're game for your morning getting off…to a good start," Sara smirked at him while drawling out her response.

"We'll need to take a shower so let's kill two birds with one stone," Grissom chuckled and pulled a willing Sara with him to head to the bathroom.

. . . . .

Brass was finished shaving, showering, and getting dressed. He packed his clothes and saw Iris needed to do the same. When he'd woken up after another very mutually satisfying time with Iris, he knew she was already downstairs working on breakfast. That was her, always giving, but now she had someone who was giving back and then some he thought with a satisfied grin. His phone chimed indicating he'd received a text that he answered and was delayed in having a text conversation that ended with him smiling at having a co-conspirator. Leaving the loft room, Brass' step was jaunty and he even whistled the tune of Iris' secret song on the way downstairs.

Iris was lowering the heat on the skillet when she felt a kiss on the back of her neck, Brass' cologne had announced himself beforehand but she didn't let on.

"What's cooking?" Jim looked in the skillet with interest.

"Besides what's cooking betwixt us, there's French toast and bacon, orange juice and coffee. Keeping it simple," Iris informed him with a quick nibble to the fleshy wattle beneath his chin before resuming her battering more bread.

"Can I help?" Jim offered.

"Sure, the table needs done," Iris directed.

"I'm your man," Brass thumped his chest and started getting out dishes, glasses and silverware.

"Yes, I know, I'm very blessed," Iris said over her shoulder coquettishly.

"Right and don't you forget it!" Brass shot back.

. . . . .

Nick held up his plate, "More French toast, please!"

"It's French toast but the bread is Texas toast, actually," Iris laughed as she brought two more platters out.

"Who cares, this is yummy," Jim observed between bites. "Sara, pass the syrup!"

Sara slid the maple syrup down the table that Brass deftly caught.

Grissom piled bacon onto his own plate, pleased to note it was extra crispy. One shouldn't have bacon any other way he felt. "We have to be at the airport by 11:00 a.m. so it should give us all ample time to finish packing and drop off our guests in Truckee where they each live."

"Uh, Griss, could we do that at the airport?" Greg asked.

"We only have the Excursions, Greg, and they have to be turned in at the airport by Warrick and me as the drivers. We'd have no way to get the ladies back to their homes in Truckee if they come there with us," Grissom replied dubiously.

"Hey, if we could make a stop by my store where my Escalade is parked, I can drive the rest of us to the airport," Toreth offered.

Grissom saw the hopeful expressions from Ecklie, Nick and Greg and amended his position. "Doable."

. . . . .

Packing up the Excursions didn't take long as it was a cooperative effort. Iris was inside checking the kitchen to make sure it was as she found it. The lodge would be cleaned on Monday by a maid crew, but she didn't believe in leaving work for others.

Nick saw Brass frowning at his Iphone. "You being techno challenged, Brass man?"

"Hardly, Stokes, just wish this song would download in full…kinda need it before Iris gets out here," Brass snorted.

"So did you two…you know?" Nick asked with a raised eyebrow.

"All I'll say is it was equal give and take, and Lord can this woman give," Jim winked.

Iris was last to come out of the lodge but Brass was waiting for her so they could get in Warrick's Excursion.

"Want to hear my ring tone for your calls?" he asked her.

"Um, okay," Iris replied with a puzzled look.

Brass turned his Iphone up for her to hear the song and her mouth dropped open as she heard "Fallin' For You": _"__I don't know but I think I may be fallin' for you. Dropping so quickly. Maybe I should keep this to myself. Waiting 'til I know you better. I am trying not to tell you but I want to. I'm scared of what you'll say, so I'm hiding what I'm feeling. But I'm tired of holding this inside my head. I've been spending all my time just thinking about ya. I don't know what to do. I think I'm fallin' for you. I've been waiting all my life and now I found ya. I don't know what to do. I think I'm fallin' for you. I'm fallin' for you as I'm standing here. And you hold my hand, pull me towards you and we start to dance. All around us I see nobody here in silence. It's just you and me. I'm trying not to tell you but I want to. I'm scared of what you'll say, so I'm hiding what I'm feeling."_

Iris continued to shake her head in disbelief while Jim let the song play through: _"But I'm tired of holding this inside my head. I've been spending all my time just thinking about ya. I don't know what to do. I think I'm fallin' for you. I've been waiting all my life and now I found ya. I don't know what to do. I think I'm fallin' for you. I'm fallin' for you. Oh I just can't take it. My heart is racing. The emotions keep spinning out. I've been spending all my time just thinking about ya. I don't know what to do. I think I'm fallin' for you."_

"How'd you find out?" Iris demanded.

"That's my job, sweetheart, being a detective," Brass laughed.

"Yes, how could I forget," Iris rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Jim, how'd you know? I never told you it applied to you, even though you pressed me hard that day."

"I saw right through your cover, Velma, I knew it couldn't be Donaldson," Jim informed her.

"Donaldson…never in a thousand years…even if we were the last male and female on earth and procreation of the human race depended on it," Iris groaned.

"What if it was us?" Brass wisecracked.

"I can promise you'd never lose a Texas-size smile from the efforts," Iris pledged and pinned Brass against the Excursion.

"Oh, frisk me, please," Jim begged with a smirk and upraised hands to signal his surrender while liking the fact she was the aggressor.

Warrick and Nick watched the exchange and just cracked up for several moments, Catherine and Alicia looked on in amusement also.

"People, time to go, we need to get on to the airport!" Grissom admonished.

"We're ready!" Warrick gave a salute of sorts as he climbed into the driver's seat. Catherine waved at Grissom to head on down the lodge's driveway.

Nick took the middle seat with Alicia as they had a conversation in hushed tones between them.

Brass had Iris save the furthest back seat for them. He slid an arm around her and she nestled comfortably beside him. She decided she wanted to clarify a matter that had been weighing on her since the discovery of their true feelings for each other and that it had taken place over the span of just a few days.

"Jim, can I ask you something?" she began cautiously.

"Anything, kitten, fire away," Brass assured her.

"Do you see us as being together long term and are you disappointed about my being intimate with you and how'd I earn the term of endearment of kitten?" Iris said, letting go a slow breath of relief.

Brass looked at her quizzically for a moment before he replied. "Okay, that's three somethings you asked not one."

"Sue me," she retorted.

Jim laughed at her expression before he continued, "Iris, I do see us as being together long term. I can say I got more out of keeping clothes on than off with you than I ever did with others and finding ways of nearly hitting a home run made it all the more fun. You know the old commercial of ketchup coming slowly out of the bottle while the song "Anticipation" plays? Well, that's how I see the home run happening which'll be a grand slam. It'll be all the more potent but, babe, I love ya and respect ya too much to have it any other way."

He let her chew on that for a moment before adding, "Oh, the name of kitten works for the little love scratches I've got on my backside but also because you're cute, cuddly, curious and still so wide-eyed about the world."

Her joyful smile warmed his heart more than anything as her head rested contentedly on his shoulder. "You might find this silly but I think each of our hearts was dry like the desert and only you could bring mine the water it needed."

Jim gave her a soft kiss, "Kind of cornball but I get what you're saying and, yeah, it's the same back atcha."

. . . . .

Eric was checking the tail of his Beechcraft King Air 200GT while his copilot Mike was also inspecting the front of the plane. He noted the two Excursions pulling up. Wiping his hand on a shop towel, he waited until Brass had exited the SUV he was in and approached him. Eric watched Jim helping Iris with her luggage and felt it time to address where things stood with his friend.

"Jim, can we talk a minute in private?" Eric asked as Jim turned to face him with Iris by his side. "Hello, Iris."

"Eric," Iris acknowledged him coolly.

"Be right back, babe," Brass squeezed her hand.

Several feet away, Jim halted and spoke, "Okay, Eric, what's up?"

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry and want to know if there's a snowball's chance in hell of us staying friends," Eric said with all the sincerity he could muster and extended his hand.

Brass chewed his lip several moments while he considered Eric's offer. They'd been friends for years and he knew Eric was humbling himself and it was costing him dearly to admit his fault. "You stayed away from Iris as promised. You can be a real asshole sometimes, and you came damn close to nuking our friendship with that idiot stunt of yours. You get a pass this time, pal."

Jim shook Eric's hand briefly.

"Thanks, Jim, I know I can be a tool," Eric agreed but grateful to know he hadn't lost a good friend.

"So how was it with Eden?" Jim asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"She wore me out. I actually had to resort to the little blue helper," Eric confessed in a low voice. "You finally get lucky in the loving area?"

"I wouldn't call it getting lucky the way you did, more like having Lady Luck smile on me with the chance to be with a true lady who's not looking for a quick hookup," Brass declared.

"You mean Iris," Eric clarified.

"Yeah, turns out there was something there all along between us and we just finally wised up to it," Jim declared.

"I hope it works out the way you want it to," Eric said sincerely as they got back to the plane.

. . . . .

The goodbyes were not said easily at the Truckee Municipal Airport.

Dee clung to Greg several moments as they whispered their farewells in soft tones. She stepped back at last. Greg told her, "I'm flying you to Vegas or I'm flying back here to see you."

"I'd love for you to show me your town. You've seen mine," she said with her distinctly throaty laugh.

"I want you to come soon, like tomorrow," Greg revealed with a shaky laugh. "Like Grissom said, 'parting is such sweet sorrow'."

"Then look forward to welcoming me as only you can," Dee purred while stroking his facial cheek with one hand and cupping his butt cheek with the other.

Iris was helping Sara look for a lost earring in the Excursion she'd rode with Grissom in. At this time, Toreth approached Jim and slipped something into his hand. A knowing smile was exchanged before Ecklie slipped his arm about her waist and was going to hug Toreth as long as he could get away with.

"How can I sleep alone tonight?" he complained in her ear.

"We'll manage, Conrad. Remember you have me flying down next weekend," Toreth reminded him.

"You know I'm a different person when I'm at work and pride myself on running things by the book. Toreth, I'm an ambitious guy and see myself climbing the ladder in the Vegas police department. Running for public office isn't out of the question to me at some point. Still, you've caused me to taste what it's like to have fun again but still be who I am. It's a side of me I don't let out, so for me each day will be like a year," Ecklie said in resignation.

"We'll make up for lost time," Toreth promised him.

Nick and Alicia were so tightly wrapped together it'd take the jaws of life to get them apart, Brass thought.

"You'll be coming down in two weeks to stay at my house. I've got some vacation time to burn. We're going to have such a time," Nick told her.

"So how can I compete with those Vegas showgirls if you take me to some musical event. I don't think I'd hold a candle to how beautiful they are or how they dance," Alicia lamented.

"It'll be the other way around, hon, the showstopper will be you," Nick reasoned with a proud look.

"You're a silver-tongued devil, Nicky, but then again we may never come out of your place the whole time I'm there," Alicia murmured.

"You had some other nicknames for me," Nick recalled with a snicker.

"Ssshhh," Alicia put a finger to his lips before he pulled her in for a quick final kiss.

Nick then took off his black cowboy hat to place on Alicia's head that he tilted back so he could see her face. "Here's something to remember me by."

Catherine and Warrick took a quiet stroll just away from their group. Warrick's fingers were intertwined with Catherine's. He said, "There's a jazz club that just opened up I'd like to take you to."

"Our first official date," Catherine remarked, "and considering how this outing went for us I foresee some interesting times."

"I do too," he said as he reeled her in for a delicious meeting of the lips.

Wendy and Hodges were in a heated debate over the authenticity of a piece of "Astro Quest" memorabilia she'd purchased at the Remember When store in Truckee. At an impasse, she threw up her hands and stalked away to go behind the other Excursion to cool off. Hodges knew he'd committed a likely breech in romantic protocol and formulated a way to make amends. They'd both agreed to keep their heads during this retreat and not be seduced by the insidious assault of hormones. Hodges, in particular, had been plagued with ungentlemanly dreams when he'd woken up to find Wendy sleeping innocently in his arms each morning.

Wendy kicked absently at a rock on the asphalt with her boot, arms folded as her frustration continued to churn inside. Hodges came up beside and leaned casually against the Excursion. She didn't acknowledge him and stared fixedly ahead past his ear.

"I'm sorry. We shouldn't have engaged in such a passionate exchange over the veracity of the artifact," Hodges said in Velikon.

Her dark eyes met his as she pondered his attempt at apology. She replied in the same language, "You're welcome to scan the data banks upon our return to home base to document it."

Hodges saw her eyes sparkle then with amusement as he realized his mea culpa (conjoined with his big gulpa) had been accepted. He relaxed somewhat as he took a chance while continuing in Velikon. "Does your invitation for viewing of sequential "Astro Quest" episodes stand?"

Wendy nodded yes as Hodges became braver and took one of her slender hands in his to press a gallant kiss into its palm.

Grissom had quietly observed the many vignettes in play. Sara read his expression while linking arms with him. "Griss, are you doubting the success of the retreat?"

"No. I do find myself surprised at the strong attachments formed in just a few days. I wonder if they will mature and bear fruit given the passionate ground they sprang from," he opined, rubbing at his chin. "Come with me."

Grissom took Sara by the hand and approached Brass and Iris. He stopped and held up his hand, first and second fingers together but splayed from the fourth and fingers in a V-shape. His look was one of approval as he went on to state the classic "_Star Trek_" phrase, "Live long and prosper."

Brass grinned and returned the salute to say the same back at Grissom while Iris flawlessly executed the salute but letting Brass speak for both of them.

Grissom nodded and walked off with Sara a short distance. She stopped him and laughed up at him, "You are such the geek, Griss!"

"Well, I'm in good company," he said while nuzzling her cheek affectionately.

"Was Grissom giving us his blessing?" Iris wondered after her supervisor had left.

"I'd say so. Look, Iris, before we go, here," Brass presented her with a black velvet jewelry bag.

"What's this?" Iris asked.

"Just open it," Jim instructed.

Iris gave him a curious glance while she cautiously withdrew a matching velvet box and slowly opened it. Inside was a gleaming pearl set in a white gold pendant necklace. Her hands trembled as she removed it from the box to unfurl full length on its chain to slowly swing between her thumb and index finger. Her eyes suddenly were swimming as she looked at him. "Jim, it's exquisite."

"Just like you are, babe, here I'll help you put it on," Brass said and clasped the chain on the back of her neck which he followed with a soft kiss to its nape. He felt her shiver beneath the pressure of his lips there and a feeling of exhilaration rushed through him also.

"How'd you have time to get this? I don't know what to say," Iris whispered up at him.

"There's the old story of a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it," Jim recounted. "Toreth said she had just the item that would say: You're my pearl, my own Mingzhu, but you're still Jia Peizhi."

"Where have you been all my life, Jim Brass?" Iris beamed at him.

"I got here as fast as I could," he replied cockily, wrapping her up in a hug.

. . . . .

The Beechcraft King Air 200GT lifted off into the as the occupants all looked out the windows to the trio of women waving wildly. Nick, Greg and Ecklie continued to watch until the airport disappeared as the plane rose into the clouds.

Flying home, Brass was seated across from Iris as they continued to share surreptitious looks while trying to appear discrete even as her foot playfully rubbed against his own. She would then gaze admiringly at her new necklace as the pearl felt soft and warm in her palm. A second gift rested in Jim's pocket of the coral and turquoise cross Iris had admired but this was a ring that was the necklace's companion piece.

Brass remembered the Beyonce song: "_If you liked it, then you shoulda put a ring on it…Your love is what I prefer, what I deserve…Is a man that makes me, then takes me and delivers me to a destiny, to infinity and beyond. Pull me into your arms; say I'm the one you WANT_." Iris had told him those lyrics made her think of him last night while she'd danced to the tune. The notion of a "ring and a date" had startled him at first because they were in such new territory in their relationship. Iris hadn't brought anything up other than when she'd carefully asked if he saw them as long-term together. However, he found himself feeling quite comfortable with that scenario while an expansive grin crossed his lips at what he considered and then committed to it, just as he had with the ring tone he'd picked for Iris of what her so-called secret song was – "Fallin' For You". Why not put a ring on it? She'd wanted the trip to be for a honeymoon. It might be in the works.

Iris cocked her head at him curiously. "A penny for your thoughts."

Jim's hand closed over hers. "I was just thinking you should get a passport and I need to blow the dust off of mine. Canada's calling."

THE END

Reviews are welcome and I will respond.

New Jim and Iris stories are in the works including 1-shot sequels to "C-H-O-I-C-E-S" (potential title CHOSEN) and "The Sum Total", along with two new original stories, so fear not there's more to come.

Be well,

Ladykestrel


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